The Masked Singer 2022 Tour was proceeding swimmingly, until COVID struck. The first message posted to social media announced that host Natasha Bedingfield tested positive for COVID. A few shows were immediately cancelled. The Masked Singer Instagram page deleted that message and replaced it with another announcement that didn’t mention Natasha. Instead it said, “Despite our best efforts, Covid has made it impossible for The Masked Singer National Tour to perform at the following dates:
The ten dates listed wiped out the remaining tour dates. The tour last stopped in San Antonio Texas on July 15.
Natasha wrote on her own Instagram account, “So sorry – yeah, after i got covid last week , the production had to make this hard decision. I’m doing great now and testing negative… but I think because it’s just a big team they had to make this decision for the safety and health of everyone. I hate this . Love you all and see you soon !”
A host can be replaced with a backup, right? Would a production shut down because one person became infected? Maybe more crew members tested positive, and the production became unsafe.
The thing is, folks are running around without masks or social distancing as if COVID is over. And it’s not over! Vaccinations will keep people out of the hospital or worse, but it won’t stop infections from the newer variants. Productions are going to be out there losing a bunch of money–and worse.
View this post on Instagram
A trio of American Idol alums performed at various The Masked Singer Tour stops
The Masked Singer Tour featured crew members dressed in fan-favorite costumes from the show. Natasha Bedingfield, who competed as Pepper on the show, served as the sole celebrity performer throughout the run of the tour.
However in every city, the tour invited a celebrity to perform as “Boom Boom Box,” to reveal their identities later in the show. Most of the special guests were local celebrities. However a trio of American Idol alums made appearances along the way. Season 16 winner Maddie Poppe appeared in Omaha, Nebraska, while Season 7 winner Taylor Hicks performed in his hometown, Birmingham. The show featured season 4 alum Constantine Maroulis in Boston.
