THE REAL reason Nicole Scherzinger refuses to return to The Masked Singer has now come to light, The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal.

It’s been almost two years since The Pussycat Dolls frontwoman walked away, sparking nonstop pleas from fans for her return.

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Nicole Scherzinger during the season six finale of The Masked SingerCredit: Getty
 

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The Masked Singer season 14 judges L-R: Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Rita Ora and Ken JeongCredit: Getty
Nicole, 47, left The Masked Singer after season 10 and was replaced by British singer Rita Ora in season 11.

Since exiting from the Fox show, Nicole has gone on to earn a Tony nomination for her critically acclaimed Broadway role in Sunset Boulevard and scored a new judging gig on Netflix’s Building the Band.

The surge in her professional career success has been a recipe for the girl group member to spread her wings and fly the nest for good, with the source spilling: “Nicole was so loved on the show, but she became too big a star. And too expensive.

“After all the Broadway buzz, she became too high-brow, too elevated, for Masked Singer.”

The source maintained that Nicole “wasn’t snobby” about the decision at all, but it “became clear that this show was beneath her at a certain point, and coming back would be a mistake.

“She’s much better off with the path she’s going down now.

“The show is saving a lot of money with Nicole gone. Rita is cheaper. If the price was right, Nicole could have come back, potentially, sure.

“But they can no longer afford her with her current ask. There was no way it was going to happen.”

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Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Nick Cannon, Ken Jeong and Nicole Scherzinger on The Masked SingerCredit: Getty
Despite the judges’ shakeup, the transition with Rita, 35, has been overall smooth after a slightly bumpy start.

“Rita gets along well with the judges and crew on the show just fine, but there was a lot of awkwardness at the beginning.

“Rita was joining this family that had been together for years and needed time to find her footing. But she’s found it and seems to be thriving.”

MASK’S OFF

The Masked Singer premiered in 2019 and has already produced 14 seasons with their two-seasons-a-year format

Nicole was an integral part of the show’s success, alongside fellow judges Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke, and Jenny McCarthy, who still remain on the series.

Nick Cannon has returned for his role as the host in season 14 and also serves as an executive producer.

The Masked Singer season 14 premieres with a supersized two-hour episode on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 8 pm ET.

The premiere will include a slew of performances and the reveal of new costumes, including the Eggplant, Corgi, Scarab, and Pugcasso.

Wednesday’s episode will also set the stage for the season’s first double elimination.

REALITY CHECK

Though The Masked Singer appears to unveil their celebrities in front of a live studio audience, The U.S. Sun previously reported that reality TV trickery occurs during the eliminations.

“What fans don’t realize at home is that the entire live audience is forced to leave the studio before the unmasking takes place.

“The live studio audience is present for all of the performances. And they film wide shots of the packed audience with the contestant fidgeting with there helmet and costume to make it look like they will unveil himself.”

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The live studio audience watches just before The Banana is revealedCredit: Fox
The source spilled that there are different ways the show implements TV trickery to pull off a seamless unveiling.

“Then, when no one is on the stage, the camera crew films close-ups of fans yelling, ‘Take it off! Take it off!’

“But they never do the unmasking when people are present in the room. Everyone in the audience is escorted out by production, and they leave the building.

“The only people present when the unmasking of the celebrity happens are the judges and the show crew,” they added.

On the Fox series, it appears as though the audience is present inside the studio when the celebrity contestant removes their costume.

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Different camera angles capture the shock on fans’ faces when the celebrity is revealed, and certain shots make it seem like the room is full for the big moment.

The lengthy process is done to ensure that leaks and spoilers are prevented as the season films completely months before it airs.

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Nicole Scherzinger performs a number from Sunset Blvd onstage during The 78th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 08, 2025 in New York CityCredit: Getty
 

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Nicole Scherzinger attends Sunset BLVD Broadway Opening Night at St James Theater on October 20, 2024 in New York CityCredit: Getty
 

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Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora on the special two-hour Season 14 premiere of THE MASKED SINGERCredit: 2026 FOX Media LLC