Season 9 Premieres with an Emotional Unmasking

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Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit

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The Masked Singer Season 9 premiered on FOX Wednesday night, as three new contestants took the stage and two celebrities were unmasked. Gnome was revealed to be legendary actor Dick Van Dyke, while Mustang was unmasked as country singer Sara Evans. Meanwhile, Medusa moved on after a powerhouse performance.

The Masked Singer Gnome Unmasked as Dick Van Dyke

Ahead of Wednesday’s premiere, the show teased that one of this week’s unmaskings was legendary. That turned out to be true, as Gnome was revealed to be 97-year-old Mary Poppins actor Dick Van Dyke. He performed “When You’re Smiling” by Billie Holiday.

Guesses from the panel included Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, and Tony Bennett. However, none of them correctly predicted that Van Dyke was under the mask. When his identity was revealed, Ken Jeong stood on the desk, calling it the “greatest reveal ever.” Nicole Scherzinger broke down in tears over the unmasking.

This season, the show has introduced a new concept called the “Ding Dong Keep It On” Bell, which allows the panel to save three contestants. Those contestants will later compete to rejoin the competition. However, the panel chose not to use the bell tonight, which meant two contestants went home.

SEE ALSO: ‘THE MASKED SINGER’ REVEALS THREE NEW COSTUMES AHEAD OF SEASON 9 PREMIERE

Medusa Moves on to ABBA Night

Wednesday’s episode featured two strong performances from Mustang and Medusa. Mustang performed “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake, prompting the judges to guess that she might be everyone from Pink to Suzanne Somers.

However, she couldn’t beat Medusa, who talked about never fitting in before singing “Happier Than Ever” by Billie Eilish. Medusa faced off against Mustang in the Battle Royale, as both contestants sang “Diamonds” by Rihanna.

Medusa ended up earning a spot in next week’s ABBA Night, while Mustang had to be unmasked. None of the panelists correctly guessed that it was country singer Sara Evans under the mask. She said her three kids didn’t know she was on the show, and she planned to watch the episode with them.

Next week, two more contestants will go up against Medusa for a chance to move on in the competition. Will any of them be successful? Will the panelists hit the bell? We’ll find out next Wednesday night at 8/7c on FOX.

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