ProSieben revamps 'The Masked Singer' for season 13

ProSieben announced a major overhaul of Germany’s "The Masked Singer" for its 13th season, slated for the autumn of 2026. The show will no longer be broadcast live; episodes will be pre‑recorded in Cologne in August and aired weeks later on ProSieben and the streaming platform Joyn. The new format will feature 16 masked celebrities – the highest number in the series – and a faster competition structure: in the first four episodes four contestants face off, two are eliminated each night and the remaining two advance directly to the semifinals.

Show executive Hannes Hiller said the change aligns with worldwide practice, stating, "Wir machen hier genau das, was weltweit längst Standard ist – ob USA oder Großbritannien…" and adding, "Dieser Schritt ermöglicht die Verpflichtung von prominenten Kandidaten, deren Terminkalender eine sechswöchige Live‑Präsenz bislang schlichtweg unmöglich gemacht hat." Host Matthias Opdenhövel will continue in his role. The move is presented as a way to attract bigger names and refresh the programme after recent rating fluctuations. Fans can submit name suggestions for the first mask via the Joyn app, and tickets for the recorded shows are on sale.