Nick Cannon Is Back on 'The Masked Singer' — Is Niecy Nash Leaving?
Updated April 8 2021, 3:33 p.m. ET
If there is one comedian who has shown she has a long career ahead of her, Niecy Nash is that girl. From making her debut in the 1995 film Boys on the Side to recently starring in the hit show Claws, Niecy has established herself as a Hollywood heavyweight.
And while she has continued to appear in countless movies, television shows, and music videos, the star has been determined to keep up the momentum in her career. So, it’s no surprise when she was named the interim host of The Masked Singer after Nick Cannon left the show due to illness.
How did Niecy land the hosting gig on 'The Masked Singer'?
If you're a fan of the celebrity music guessing game, then you know that Nick Cannon has hosted the show since the very beginning. Unfortunately, when filming began for Season 5 of the show, Nick had to step away from his hosting duties due to health concerns. According to Variety, Nick Cannon tested positive for COVID-19. For the sake of keeping the cast and crew safe, he was missing from the first four episodes of the show.
Producers decided to tap Niecy to take his place, and fans of the comedian couldn't have been more excited. This wasn't Niecy's first hosting gig, either. The actress hosted Clean House on the Style Network from 2003 to 2010.
In Episode 5, Nick Cannon returned to the show (in the most perfect way possible).
Niecy did a truly stellar job of filling in for Nick for the first few episodes of the season, but Episode 5 may signal the end of her hosting duties. Nick made a glorious return to the show exactly as you might expect: as one of the masked characters! Specifically, he was revealed to be hiding beneath the Bulldog after that character was introduced as the season's third wildcard.
Obviously, that means that Nick has made a full recovery from his illness, and it looks like he'll be resuming hosting duties starting with Episode 6 of the season. He made sure to thank Niecy for filling in for him, even calling her "a queen" and dedicating his performance to her. So sweet!
With Nick back at the helm of the show, Niecy will no longer be appearing on the show, but that hasn't kept many fans from wondering whether she might return at some point. Maybe Nick could use a co-host! Or maybe she could perform as one of the masked characters! It remains to be seen.
What else has Niecy been up to these days?
While Niecy is all about her business, she has made big moves in her personal life. In case you didn't know, the star jumped the broom with Jessica Betts in August 2020. The news came as a shock to many fans since she hadn't come out or been open with her relationship before then, but it seems that Niecy is happier than she's ever been.
According to Oprah Magazine, Jessica is an R&B singer-songwriter originally from Chicago. She has made quite the name for herself in the industry, as she won the Road to Stardom, a competition show hosted by Missy Elliot, in 2005.
Jessica was also "inducted into the showcase of BET Music Matters artists in 2011," according to her IMDb biography. She also got the opportunity to "close the BET Honors pre-show in February of 2014 and opened the Mid-Atlantic Rebellious Soul Tour in 2013."
Catch new episodes of The Masked Singer Wednesday nights on Fox.
