For Masked Singer Fans, Spice Girls Night Brings Taraji P. Henson — and a Scheduling Clash with Fear Factor House Of Fear

This week’s pause in new episodes reshuffles what viewers can expect next: the show is off the air because of heavy Winter Olympics competition and the network is airing a repeat special instead. That delay matters for audiences excited about the upcoming "Spice Girls Night, " when Taraji P. Henson will return as Scary Spice — and it comes as the broadcaster teases a separate event tied to the Fear Factor House Of Fear reboot.

Why this week’s pause matters for Masked Singer viewers

Here’s the part that matters: fans who were counting on fresh themed content this week will instead wait a week for the return. The show’s break was scheduled around the Winter Olympics, and the network is repeating a 2024 special called "The Real Full Monty, " featuring the late James Van Der Beek. That means the much-promoted "Spice Girls Night" episode — with a guest panelist in full Scary Spice mode — is now the next new installment.

When the series resumes, the episode will spotlight contestants performing iconic Spice Girls songs. Confirmed performances include Crane singing "Say You’ll Be There, " Snow Cone singing "Wannabe, " and Pugcasso singing "Too Much. " Remaining masked competitors named for Season 14 include High Voltage, Pangolin, Eggplant, Galaxy Girl, Stingray, Cat Witch, Pugcasso, Snow Cone and Crane.

Other participants who have already been unmasked this season are listed among the celebrities revealed so far, and the Season 14 field as a whole carries a combined entertainment resume: contestants have sold a combined 94 million records, received 47 Teen Choice Award nominations, 12 Emmy nominations, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one Tony Award win and one Academy Award nomination.

It's easy to overlook, but the season’s lineup of themed nights — from nostalgia-driven tributes to rock-focused events — reflects an editorial push to lean on recognizable franchises and music moments to keep viewers engaged after breaks like this one.

How Spice Girls Night lines up with Fear Factor House Of Fear

The schedule shuffle also sits alongside a separate programming note: the network’s new Fear Factor reboot will feature host Johnny Knoxville in a themed segment called "Fear Factor: House of Fear Night. " That event exists on the same broader schedule slate, meaning audiences may see the broadcaster alternating high-concept, nostalgia-leaning event TV with stunt-driven reality programming.

Putting those two items in the same cycle—an episode themed to a major pop group and a stunt-heavy Fear Factor night—signals a season strategy that blends musical nostalgia with spectacle. Expect the masked show to return next week with its Spice Girls installment while the Fear Factor reboot remains a distinct, upcoming attraction in the schedule.

• Spice Girls Night: Taraji P. Henson appears in costume as Scary Spice (returning guest panelist previously unmasked as Scarab).
• Selected contestant performances: Crane ("Say You’ll Be There"), Snow Cone ("Wannabe"), Pugcasso ("Too Much").
• Current Season 14 contestants include Eggplant, Pugcasso, Queen Corgi, the Croissants, Owl, 14 Karat Carrot, Snow Cone, Galaxy Girl, High Voltage, Googly Eyes, Scarab, Handyman, Crane, Le Who Who, Pangolin, Stingray, Cat Witch and Calla Lily.
• "Fear Factor: House of Fear Night" will feature host Johnny Knoxville.

Micro Q&A

• When will the show be back? New episodes resume next week with the Spice Girls-themed installment.
• Why isn’t there a new episode tonight? The network delayed new programming because of Winter Olympics competition and filled the slot with a repeat 2024 special, "The Real Full Monty, " featuring the late James Van Der Beek.
• Is Fear Factor crossing over with the masked series? The Fear Factor reboot will run its own themed night, titled "Fear Factor: House of Fear Night, " with Johnny Knoxville; it’s a separate event on the season’s programming slate.

The real question now is how viewers respond after a forced break: will the Spice Girls theme and a guest in Scary Spice costume deliver the audience lift the season needs? Watch next week’s episode for the immediate pulse, and expect the network to keep mixing themed nostalgia nights with high-profile event programming as the season continues.

What’s easy to miss is that these scheduling moves do more than shift air dates — they reveal a deliberate programming mix aimed at maximizing appointment viewing when competition tightens.