Nick Cannon will always be there for Mariah Carey.
The “Masked Singer” host shared an update on how his ex-wife is doing following the tragic deaths of her mother and sister last month in an exclusive new interview with Page Six.
“She’s doing the best she can, given the circumstances,” Cannon, 43, said on the red carpet at Fox Fall Press Day in Los Angeles. “But as a family, we have to be there to support each other, to show each other love.”
The “Wild ‘n Out” star added that Carey, 55, has been spending a lot of time with their two children — 13-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe — and has been relying on them for support during this tumultuous time.
“She has a really great time with the kids,” said Cannon, who was married to the singer from 2008 to 2016. “It’s, you know, the most important thing in the world to her, so it’s amazing to see them support their mom the way they do.”
Carey revealed last month that her mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison, died on the same day at the ages of 87 and 63, respectively.
She did not share further details at the time and the causes of their deaths have not yet been revealed.
“I am heartbroken to have lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life the same day,” the “We Belong Together” singer said in a statement on August 27.
“I feel blessed to have been able to spend the last week with my mother before she passed away. I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this difficult time.”
Moroccan and Monroe, who turned 13 on April 30, are Cannon’s oldest children.
He is also dad to Golden, 7; Powerful Queen, 3; and Rise, 1, with Brittany Bell; 3-year-old twins Zion and Zillion; and Beautiful, 1, with Abby De La Rosa; Legendary, 2, with Bre Tiesi; Onyx, 2, with LaNisha Cole; and Halo, 1, with Alyssa Scott. He and Scott were also parents to a baby boy named Zen, who died at the age of five months in 2021 from a brain tumor.
During his interview with Page Six, Cannon admitted that raising his now-teenage children with Carey has been “the scariest thing” in the world.
“My daughter wears makeup now. Luckily, she doesn’t do it a lot, but it scared me,” he said of Monroe. “We were getting ready to leave, we were in Malibu going to dinner, and I was like, ‘What’s taking her so long?'”
Cannon noted that when he went to check on her, he found hair products and makeup strewn “all over” her room.
“I thought, ‘Wow, you’re just like your mother,’” he recalls. “It’s beautiful to see, but scary at the same time.”
In addition to his role as a parent, Cannon has been busy preparing for Season 12 of “The Masked Singer,” which he says will be “the most competitive season yet” with “more clues than ever before.”
For the first time, the show introduces the “Masked Ambassadors,” a group of former contestants who will provide even more clues about who is behind each mask. Returning celebrities include Jewel (season 6), Dick Van Dyke (season 9), Ne-Yo (season 10) and DeMarcus Ware (season 11).
“We now have our ambassadors, who are kind of connected to the singers and giving us clues as to how we know them,” he teased, noting that the clues are “there” and “more visible” this time around. “So this could be one of the seasons where you certainly know who is hiding behind the masks.
The season will also feature a variety of all-new themed episodes, including “Barbie Night,” “Footloose Night,” “Sports Night,” “Soundtrack of My Life” and “Miley Cyrus Night.”
“I had a lot of crazy costumes and outfits [this season]because I’m always on theme. I didn’t have a shirt on a lot of times,” Cannon joked, adding, “We just had a really good time!”
As for whether Cyrus, 31, might make an appearance in person for the special episode honoring the “We Can’t Stop” singer? “You never know, you’ll have to check it out!” Cannon joked.
Season 12 of “The Masked Singer” will premiere Wednesday, September 25 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
