"The Masked Singer" is returning sooner than expected: ProSieben is launching Season 13 of the guessing show on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 8:15 PM. The show will air on ProSieben and via livestream on Joyn, as the network announces. ProSieben only confirmed a few weeks ago that there would be a new season.

Season 12 aired from November 8 to December 13, 2025, on Saturday evenings on ProSieben. The new airtime isn't the only change. In the upcoming season, 16 masked celebrities will compete-more than in any previous season. Matthias Opdenhövel (55) will continue to host the show.

Four masks per show, two reveals

The show's format is also being restructured. In the first four episodes, four masks will face off directly against each other. Two of them must reveal their identities that same evening, while the other two advance to the semifinals, as ProSieben and Joyn explain.

For the network, it's a matter of pacing. "Our viewers love the suspense, the surprises, the puzzles", says Hannes Hiller, who is responsible for the show at ProSieben. "With this new structure, 'The Masked Singer' becomes even faster and more intense."

Pre-recorded instead of live

Behind the scenes, several things are also different. The season is being produced in August in Cologne and will air a few weeks later. Tickets for the tapings are available online.

Hiller frames the move as an adaptation to international standards: "We're doing exactly what has long been standard worldwide." He continues: "Whether in the USA or Great Britain, other countries have always taped the show. From a production standpoint, this offers an enormous advantage: This step enables us to sign prominent candidates whose schedules have simply made a six-week live presence impossible until now."

The audience had a say

The audience was involved even before the start: Through the Joyn app, users could determine the name of the first mask. In the description, the costume is described as follows: "The mask consists of countless air cushion chambers, moves around light as a feather, and simply infects everyone with its cheerful, carefree nature. Charming, lovable, and always ready to spread good vibes."

The previous Season 12 was won by comedian and actress Meltem Kaptan (46), who sang her way through the finale as the cow "Muuhnika".