(Warning: This post contains spoilers for Wednesday’s “The Masked Dancer.”)
Fox’s “The Masked Singer” spinoff series “The Masked Dancer” eliminated its fourth contestant on Wednesday’s episode, revealing the identity of the Cricket.
During the episode, the remaining Group A contestants — Hammerhead, Tulip, Exotic Bird and Cricket — returned to give performances in hopes of landing one of the three slots available to them in the Super Six round, where they will go up against the top contestants from Group B (Zebra, Cotton Candy and Sloth).
After those four competitors danced their hearts out, it was time for panelists Ken Jeong, Paula Abdul, Brian Austin Green, Ashley Tisdale and guest star Rob Lowe to vote for their favorite dancers and, in doing so, determine the weakest performer.
The contestant who came out on the bottom was Cricket, who did a dance to Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It.” He was unmasked and revealed to be singer-songwriter Brian McKnight. While Abdul correctly guessed Cricket was McKnight, incorrect guesses for Cricket thrown out by the other panelists included Ashton Kutcher, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.
Per Fox, between the 10 celebrities competing on “The Masked Dancer” Season 1, “they’ve amassed more than 38 million albums sold worldwide, 20 Emmy Award wins, 20 Grammy Award nominations, 10 World Dancing titles, five New York Times best-selling author titles, four Olympic gold medals and three Broadway show appearances.”
Following the unmaskings of McKnight’s Cricket, Elizabeth Smart’s Moth, Bill Nye’s Ice Cube and Ice-T’s Disco Ball, six masked dancers remain. Whoever is left standing by the finale will take home “The Masked Dancer’s” grand prize: the Diamond Mask Trophy, which is an upgrade from “The Masked Singer’s” Golden Mask Trophy.
Next up for “The Masked Dancer” Season 1 contestants is the Super Six battle, where the half dozen remaining contestants from Groups A and B will come together for the first time to perform.
“The Masked Dancer” airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Fox.