Culture
Love Island Gets A New Host: Maya Jama
Love Island taps Maya Jama as third and latest host.
The United Kingdom might have lost its queen, but they will soon have a new national treasure: Maya Jama will be the next host of Love Island.
Prior to Whitmore, Love Island was hosted by Caroline Flack prior to her tragic passing in 2020.
Love Island made its announcement on Instagram with a video of Jama sitting on her couch scrolling through Google results on her phone that reveal she is the next Love Island host (Stars, they’re just like us: They Google themselves!) before the camera backs up to reveal a Love Island-branded suitcase with her name on it.
“Okay, the rumours are true 😉 Say hey to your brand-new #LoveIsland host @mayajama! 💘,” read the caption.
Jama is already a bona fide TV personality in the UK, after becoming the youngest person to host the Mobo awards on Channel 5 in 2017. She’s had a steady career in broadcasting, and prior to Love Island, she hosted a BBC Radio 1 show.
“I’ve always been such a massive Love Island fan and I’m so excited to be hosting one of the nation’s favorite shows,” Jama told The Guardian. “I can’t wait to get into the villa to meet all of the islanders.” And she’ll be meeting a lot: 2023 will bring us the gift of not one, but two Love Island seasons, first in South Africa and then in Mallorca.
“Finding a new host to follow the wonderful Laura Whitmore was never going to be easy. In Maya Jama though, we have another high profile fan of the show who’ll be a great addition to the Love Island family,” ITV Director of Reality Programing Paul Mortimer said in a statement.
“Cool, charming and charismatic, I speak for us all when I say Maya will also bring a unique presenting style to the show, as did Laura and, of course, the very much missed Caroline Flack,” he continued. “We’re very pleased to have her on board.”