Sharp-eyed fans of ITV's The Masked Singer believe they have already unmasked one of the show's secret celebrities before the new series has even begun, with speculation pointing squarely at chart-topping singer Anne-Marie.
The Telling Clues That Gave The Game Away
The seventh series of the hit guessing game, where famous faces perform in elaborate disguises, launches on Saturday 3 January. Ahead of the premiere, the judging panel—comprising Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, and Maya Jama—received cryptic clues from the contestants.
The celebrity inside the Goldfish costume sent personalised messages. Davina McCall was asked, "How did it feel to be top of the Christmas tree?" while Jonathan Ross received: "They say goldfish have a three-second memory. We’ll be the Judge of that!"
However, it was the clue sent to Mo Gilligan that sent fans into a frenzy: a mathematical equation, "54x4x10-166+8=X". Dedicated viewers quickly solved the sum, which equals 2002.
Why 2002 Points to a Pop Superstar
For music fans, the number 2002 is unmistakably linked to British pop sensation Anne-Marie. "2002" is the title of her massive 2018 single, a nostalgic track referencing the pop era of Britney Spears and *NSYNC, which has amassed nearly two billion streams on Spotify.
The Christmas tree clue is also believed to be a nod to Anne-Marie's festive number one, "Rockabye," a collaboration with Clean Bandit that topped the charts in December 2016.
On social media platforms like Reddit, the consensus was swift. One fan declared, "I'm pretty sure it’s Anne-Marie, based on the sum, Xmas no.1 and the judging clue," while another stated simply, "Me too that 2002 clue has just given it away."
A New Series With a Twist
The upcoming series introduces a fresh format designed to keep audiences guessing. For the first time, the show will feature celebrity bands. Goldfish fronts a group called 'No Trout', while another character, Emperor Penguin, leads the 'Antarctic Funkeys'.
A show source told The Sun: "The franchise’s first-ever bands are going to blow everyone’s minds – but viewers will be left scratching their heads as to whether the band is a big clue or not." They added that the new series would feature four unmaskings in the first two episodes alone, with Goldfish and Emperor Penguin being extra additions to the standard 12-person line-up.
The series promises to be more puzzling than ever, following last year's victory by West End star Samantha Barks as Pufferfish. She triumphed over competitors including Natalie Cassidy and Macy Gray.
Viewers can now tune in to see if the fans' detective work has paid off and whether Anne-Marie is indeed the star swimming inside the Goldfish costume.
