Get your tattoo machines ready: “Ink Master” is returning on Sept. 7, with a brand new host and crop of judges.
The iconic series, which will air exclusively on Paramount+, has set Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden as host, along with Season 8 winner Ryan Ashley, celebrity tattoo artist Nikko Hurtado and industry veteran Ami James as judges. Former host Dave Navarro will appear on the show as the Master of Chaos, and will introduce “crazy twists and game-changing bombs to the competition,” according to a press release.
In the show’s 10-episode comeback season, legendary, fan-favorite artists will return to compete for the biggest prize yet: $250,000, and of course, the title of Ink Master.
Beyond fronting pop-punk band Good Charlotte, Madden is also the co-founder of music companies Veeps and MDDN, and is tatted up himself. Ashley was the first female artist to win “Ink Master,” Hurtado is a world-renowned color realism artist and James is a Japanese tattoo specialist with 30 years of experience.
“The legends will need to prove they possess the high level skills that sets an Ink Master apart: composition, precision, color theory, finesse, stamina and endurance,” the press release states. “With stakes higher than they’ve ever been, a single misstep could send them home and, in the end, only one artist will walk away with the title.”
“Ink Master” is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and Truly Original. Executive producers include Glenda Hersh, Steven Weinstock and Andrea Richter. Benjamin Hurvitz, Jessica Zalkind and Tim Palazzola serve as executive producers and Donny Hugo Herran as executive in charge of production for MTV Entertainment Studios.