Abrupt "don't talk to me" signs and hidden camera sweeps: The crazy security on The Masked Singer.

If you’ve been watching The Masked Singer Australia you’ll likely be happily guessing away about who is under the wolf/prawn/unicorn heads, and basking in the general ridiculousness of the silliest show on TV.

But behind the scenes, the security measures are no laughing matter.

They’re not just strict, they’re borderline… militant.

Here’s a sneak peek of tonight’s show. Post continues after video.

Before their appearances, the celebrity contestants on the show are picked up at secret private locations, covered in black fabric and snuck into the studio where they wear t-shirts commanding “DO NOT TALK TO ME.”

In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, head of television for Warner Bros Shawn Murphy says secrecy is so important to the show, the live studio audience we see clapping and reacting to the celebrity reveals is fake.

In fact, the entire studio audience is kicked out just before the reveal. They even sweep the set for bugs and hidden cameras before they let the lowest voted singer of the night unmask.

When the singer returns home, they're contractually obliged to lie to their family about where they've been.

"We had to make a couple of exceptions so [the contestants] could 'fess up to their husband or wife," the executive admitted.

So far Gretel Killeen has been unmasked as the octopus, and Brett Lee revealed as the parrot.

In an interview with Mamamia, Gretel explained that the security for the show made her feel like a "spy, but without the power."

Absolutely no one was allowed to talk to her, which Gretel struggled with because she usually prepares for performing by getting "strength and energy" from the people around her.

"You're completely covered up backstage for the whole day, so I got a bit lonely in my dressing room," she told Mamamia.

When she was unmasked on episode one of the show, Gretel was relieved she no longer had to keep the secret.

"It makes you realise how hard it is to keep a secret, it's a real burden," she said.

In an interview with news.com, Osher Gunsberg said there were actually only eight people in the room when Gretel and Brett were unmasked. Even cameramen and sound operators were told to leave the set.

"In the control room, they basically hit record on the machines and walked out. No one who wasn't supposed to be there was there," he explained.

The Masked Singer returns to our screens tonight at 7:30pm, and we don't know about you but we'll be looking at that canned audience reaction a bit differently this time around.

It turns out everyone sitting in that audience will  be finding out the identity of the third mystery singer at the same time as the rest of us.

Read More:

"You're powerless." Gretel Killeen on what it's really like to compete on The Masked Singer.

We're calling it: A complete list of the celebrities behind the masks on The Masked Singer.

The Masked Singer Australia recap: The 5 biggest questions Australia's asking about Ten's new show.