ITV’s Love Island is set to return within a matter of weeks, with rumours flying around about what this year’s series will have in store. It’s already been confirmed that Laura Whitmore will return as presenter - disappointing fans who were hoping Maya Jama would get the gig.
It was reported last year that the Bristol-born star was in the running to take over as Love Island host, with producers said to have been mulling a change of presenter. Maura Higgins, presenter of Glow Up Ireland, was also linked to the job.
At the time, Maya Jama’s legions of online fans responded enthusiastically to the news, making it clear that they thought she should be handed the role. But Laura Whitmore - who has hosted the show since 2020 - will return again for the new series.
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"The only person Love Island execs should be in convo with is @MayaJama #HireMaya," wrote one, while another: "Maya Jama better be this years Love island host."
The ITV2 show - which previously aired from 2005 to 2006 - has been a huge hit with viewers since it was revived back in 2015. Anticipation for the latest series is reaching fever pitch and it’s expected to hit our screens early next month.
Maya Jama fans who were disappointed that she didn’t get the prestigious Love Island presenting gig need not fear, however. She’s back with a new series of her hit makeover show Glow Up, which starts on Wednesday (May 11th) on BBC Three and iPlayer.
There may be another high-profile presenting gig in the offing too. With rumours that Big Brother could be set for a comeback on ITV2, some fans have already thrown Maya Jama's hat into the ring - but producers remain tight-lipped about whether the show will return.
Last month, the 27-year-old revealed she had quit her role as presenter on boxing streaming service DAZN, citing scheduling conflicts. She joined DAZN last June but was the subject of criticism from some viewers, who questioned her credentials for hosting boxing coverage.
Maya subsequently took to Instagram to defend herself against the critics, pointing out that while was a genuine fan of the sport, she had “never claimed to be a boxing expert” and that there was more involved in TV presenting.
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