Abacus Media Rights (AMR), a member of the Amcomri Media Group, has secured international distribution rights for the finished tape version of the hugely popular entertainment series The Masked Singer UK.  The first series of the show, produced by Bandicoot Scotland, part of the Argonon group, consolidated with 6.6m viewers and a 32% share on ITV and was the biggest new format launch on any channel.

The Masked Singer UK (8 x 90’) is a format originally imported from South Korea with local versions already airing in 30 territories.  The first season of The Masked Singer UK is available now, with Season 2 (8 x 90’) launching on 26^th December on ITV. International broadcasters acquiring the UK version will be able to air each episode of the series the day after it has played out on ITV.

Hosted by Joel Dommett, Season 1’s celebrity panellists include global superstar Rita Ora; award-winning British broadcaster Jonathan Ross; much-loved TV presenter Davina McCall, and Hollywood actor and comedian Ken Jeong, with Donnie Osmond and Kelly and Sharon Osbourne appearing as guest panellists. Season 2 will see British stand-up comedian Mo Gilligan join the panel.

The Masked Singer is the surreal and surprising guessing game that sees twelve famous faces compete to pull off their best performance, with their identity elaborately and imaginatively concealed behind the mask.  Although they won’t be judged on their singing, the celebrities still need to give their best performance to avoid being eliminated and their identities revealed.

As each celebrity sings, viewers are led in a quest to discover their identity by the superstar panel. The panel has to guess the masked singers’ identities before they are unmasked – and their true identity revealed – as they leave the competition.

Jonathan Ford, Managing Director, AMR, comments, “We are delighted to be working with Bandicoot and Argonon on a series which is really hitting the right spot at this difficult time. The Masked Singer is innovative, fun, and colourful primetime entertainment for all ages. The top-secret nature of the high-calibre and well-known casts, right up to each episode’s reveal, keeps viewers totally engaged throughout.”

Derek McLean and Daniel Nettleton from Bandicoot added: “The first series of TV’s greatest guessing game was a stunning success with UK audiences; we’re delighted that our partnership with AMR will offer viewers across the world to discover the magic of The Masked Singer.”

Founded in 2017 by Derek McLean and Daniel Nettleton in a joint venture with Argonon, the award-winning Bandicoot TV devises and produces entertainment and factual entertainment formats. In addition to producing two series of The Masked Singer UK for ITV, with the first season winning a prestigious RTS Craft & Design Award in 2020 for Costume Design – Entertainment & Non-Drama, Bandicoot has been commissioned to produce ITV Hub series The Masked Singer: Unmasked. Other commissions have included two series of Test Drive for BBC Scotland for which it has been nominated in the entertainment category at the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2020, and Chase the Case, a 20-part series for BBC One. Bandicoot has a number of new projects in development.