Who is Maya Jama? Your full debrief on the 'Love Island' host

Wondering 'who is Maya Jama?' Well, wonder no more, as the TV presenter turned Love Island host will soon be slow-mo walking straight back into the villa and our lives. So, here's everything you need to know about, from her successful on-screen career to her high-profile relationship history—there's much to learn about the glamorous British star...

You will likely already recognize Maya Jama for her many, many presenting gigs, on TV shows like Glow Up and The Circle, but outside of that, she also has many other claims to fame. Firstly, there's Maya's killer red carpet looks (not to mention Maya's stunning Love Island outfits!) and her popular skincare line MIJ masks; but you may have also heard about her personal relationships, too.  We'll get to Maya's boyfriend sitch later though—because yes, there are juicy updates there!

So, for anyone in need of a full debrief on everything Maya, you've come to the right place. Here's all the intel, from the shows the presenter has fronted before landing the Love Island UK’s host gig, along with Maya's personal deets, from her age to her star sign...

Who is Maya Jama?

Oh, we're so glad you asked! While Maya has now landed the coveted role of Love Island host, the TV personality already has quite the resume behind her...

What is Maya Jama famous for?

Maya is a TV presenter who has appeared in a number of shows over the years, and has been a big name in the UK for some time now. However, her fame is set to go global with her most high-profile role to date—hosting the current winter season of Love Island UK, taking place in South Africa. 

The star also presented the newest season of BBC Three’s Glow Up (which dropped this last October on Netflix) as well as MTV’s The Wrap Up. Additionally, she has appeared on shows like The Duchess and Celebrity Juice, and regularly features on UK game shows including Don't Hate The Playaz, of which she is a co-host. She even launched two successful clothing lines with Pretty Little Thing (the brand Molly-Mae Hague is Creative Director of) between 2018 and 2019.

The presenter got her start after launching a YouTube channel and landed a role presenting JumpOff TV. She then moved on to MTV, where she hosted shows like MTV News and MTV Essentials.

Alongside TV work, Maya has been a Radio 1 presenter, commanding the airwaves on Friday and Saturday mornings—but quit the show in 2020. The launch of her skincare brand MIJ has been another entrepreneurial string to her bow, and shifted her net worth into millionaire status.

Maya Jama Instagram—is the star online?

You can keep up with Maya on Instagram, at @mayajama, where she regularly updates her 2.7 million followers. Find stylish outfit posts on her feed, and a behind-the-scenes look at her work day on her Stories.

Given her huge audience, the star has worked with a number of big brands. She has modeled for the likes of Steve Madden and Adidas, and recently appeared in a commercial for McDonald's.

If you're wondering where she stands on the Love Island social media rules, Maya recently shared in an interview with This Morning some advice for new Islanders and how she personally approaches the web.

She said: "I would say, if you're already a heavy social media user, use it for fun, enjoy it—if it gets too much, come off of it."

Adding: "On my Instagram, I literally mute everything, unless it's my personal circle and then you have your own happy bubble don't you, most of the time. So I think, cater it to you as much as you can." Good advice, Maya!

How old is Maya Jama?

Maya was born on August 14, 1994. If you're wondering about Maya Jama's age, this makes her 28 years old—and, for any astrology fans out there, her birth also places her in Leo season.

Notably, her star sign has also seemingly inspired a number of her ex-beau, Stormzy's tracks, with fans linked 'Fire Babe' to Maya, because—you guessed it—Leo is a fire sign!

Maya Jama heritage—where is she originally from?

Maya is of Somali and Swedish descent, and was born and raised in the UK city of Bristol. She moved to London when she was just 16 years old to pursue a career in broadcasting—so if you're wondering what accent Maya Jama has, it's largely Bristolian with a hint of south-east England mixed in!

The star—who is reportedly named after writer Maya Angelou—didn't have the easiest of childhoods. Maya Jama's parents split when the star was young, and she revealed to The Guardian that she was largely raised by her mother Sadie. Her dad, Hussein, was in and out of prison.

Maya said: “[He was] banged up. It wasn’t one long sentence, it was lots of sentences—sentence after sentence. Mostly, it was for violence, for pub brawls and fights. The usual thing was that he’d be drinking and get into a fight. Someone would get hurt, and he’d go to jail.”

As such, Maya has revealed that she is very close to her mother, sharing with the Evening Standard that their smaller age gap helped them to bond. She said, "She had me at 18, so our relationship was a bit different. I rebelled less because I was quite free."

Maya Jama net worth

So with all of her successful career and business ventures, you might naturally be wondering about Maya Jama's net worth. While it's likely that only Maya and a few trusted people in her life know the true figure, various reports estimate that the presenter's net worth sits at a whopping £1.5million (around $1.7million). 

It's a super impressive amount, and a number that has likely risen with her new gig on Love Island, too!

Maya Jama height—how tall is the presenter?

By now, Love Island viewers will be used to Maya's majestic struts into the South African villa—but it may have left some wondering how tall the stunning star is.

Luckily, Maya herself answered that very question a few years ago! Back in 2016, a fan on Twitter commented that they'd spotted her in real life, and commented that she is 'shorter than I thought'. In response, Maya tweeted back with the laughing emoji, and answered, 'im 5'8 how tall did you think I was???' So there's your answer!

Of course, the host likely looks a fair bit taller in her Love Island heels, which may explain why people who have only ever seen her on TV may be confused about her height...

Who is Maya Jama dating now?

Well! At the beginning of 2023, Maya Jama did confirm that she was single, however, rumors have begun swirling that she and ex-Stormzy have rekindled their relationship! 

The plot then thickened in on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, after a source told the Sun "The truth is she’s actually back in regular contact with Stormzy and has been heading to his house to meet up away from the spotlight.

“She visited him a couple of times before her recent holiday to Thailand and it sounds as though they’ve really clicked again."

Of course, neither Maya nor Stormzy has commented or confirmed any kind of reunion. So until they do, we should assume that Maya is still single. As for her previous dating stitch, the presenter was previously engaged to NBA player Ben Simmons. He popped the question in December 2021, but they split eight months later.

A source told the NY Post that the couple had gone their separate ways, explaining: “While they both care for each other so much, they truly gave it their all and realize that they just come from two different worlds.”

Are Maya Jama and Stormzy friends?

Maya famously dated rapper Stormzy, and during the course of their relationship, they became something of an IT couple, with fans loving their sweet bond and bomb fashion looks together.

But, after four years together, they sadly called it quits in 2019 and went their separate ways.

While there were some cheating allegations floating around at the time, Stormzy debunked the rumors. Speaking to Hot 97, he said: “If there was a box of what a good woman is, she ticks every one, she's amazing. But I didn't cheat on her. I actually didn't cheat. Don't get it twisted, I'm still definitely an a***hole. 100%, that's a fact. I'm an a***hole.”

However, their past was stirred up once more in 2022, with the release of Stormzy's new album 'This Is What I Mean'. It features a number of tracks believed to be about the TV host.

Around the same time, there was some speculation of a reunion, until one of Maya's reps denied the reports. They told Digital Spy that while they are not getting back together, Maya and Stormzy, "remain great friends".

As mentioned though, as of May 2023 those dating rumors have once again stirred up, so watch this space—we might have a Maya and Stormzy reconciliation on our hands after all...