'The Masked Dancer': Everything we know so far about season 2

TV's most spectacular contest returns this autumn with season two of The Masked Dancer.

As the ITV show, which asks judges to guess which mystery celebrities are dancing in costume, makes its way back to our screens, we take a look at everything we know about it so far.

When is The Masked Dancer back on TV?

We're on countdown to the new series of The Masked Dancer starting, with ITV announcing that it will be back this autumn.

Although the exact air date hasn't been confirmed yet, the character costumes have already been unveiled - suggesting it could start sooner rather than later.

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When the show last aired in May and June 2021, the episodes ran over the course of a week, so if ITV is looking to avoid a Saturday night Strictly Come Dancing clash with the BBC, they could do the same thing again in early September.

What are The Masked Dancer costumes?

As with sister show The Masked Singer, the costumes are as big a part of the show as who's actually behind the mask, so fans were excited to get a first look at them in July.

In a new twist, this year's line-up includes the first ever duo in either of the Masked series with the mail-inspired Pillar and Post.

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Other outlandish costumes include Odd Socks, Scissors and Onomatopoeia, as well as Candlestick, Scissors, Cactus, Tomato Sauce and Prawn Cocktail.

Animal-themed characters are Pig, Sea Slug and Pearly King — a lion wearing a sparkly suit inspired by the historic Pearly King tradition in the UK.

Who is judging The Masked Dancer?

Popular judges Davina McCall, Oti Mabuse and Jonathan Ross will be back again this series.

They'll be joined by a new judge, footballer and keen robot dancer Peter Crouch, who will replace comedian Mo Gilligan while he is on tour.

McCall, Ross and Gilligan also judge The Masked Singer with Rita Ora, while Mabuse sat on the panel for the first season of The Masked Dancer.

Who won The Masked Dancer season 1?

It's been a little while since we last saw The Masked Dancer, which aired season one in May 2021 as a replacement for the Britain's Got Talent live finals week when the show was cancelled during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, fans might remember that Olympic gymnast and former Strictly Come Dancing winner Louis Smith was crowned the inaugural champion, competing as Carwash.

The runner-up was Bonnie Langford as Squirrel, while Take That's Howard Donald was placed third as Zip.

The Masked Dancer returns to ITV this autumn.

Watch: Masked Dancer's Viper unmasked as Jordan Banjo