Stormzy claims that during their not-so-secret August holiday, he and his fiancée Maya Jama were captured by the paparazzi due to a "lapse of judgement."
Before calling it quits in 2019, the 29-year-old Love Island presenter and the 30-year-old British rapper dated for four years. However, it was discovered in August that the couple had resumed their romance after being sighted on holiday together in Hydra, Greece.
Stormzy stated in a recent interview with British Vogue that his goal when he and Jama got back together was to keep their romance quiet at first.
He said: “We were so public the first time round. Somewhere down the line my spirit started resisting… So I’m not gonna speak on it.”
In terms of being caught together on holiday, the rapper added “We were just living la vida loca,” Stormzy said of the Greek holiday snaps. “Lapse of judgement for an hour!”
Jama filmed Stormzy on October 7 to formally declare their romance on Instagram.
Here are some key details about Maya Jama.
Who is Maya Jama?
Maya Jama, 29, is a presenter of Somali and Swedish descent, who was born in August 1994.
Her parents chose the name Maya, after the civil rights activist and celebrated poet Maya Angelou, because her mother read the poem I know Why the Caged Bird Sings during her pregnancy.
Maya moved from Bristol to London aged 16, in order to pursue a career in broadcasting, setting up her own YouTube channel, which got her a role as a presenter of JumpOff TV.
After that, she became the host of MTV’s The Wrap Up, before she moved to host MTV Essentials and MTV News.
Other projects over the years include a travelogue called Copa 90’s Maya’s Fifa World Cup Cities, during the 2014 World Cup, reported the Sun. Her career advanced further when she hosted BBC3’s Glow Up, taking over from Stacey Dooley.
Elsewhere, she hosted the Friday and Saturday slots on BBC Radio 1, as well as presenting the first series of Channel 4’s The Circle, alongside Alice Levine.
Her work on Love Island
Jama now presents Love Island, taking over from previous host Laura Whitmore, who quit after three years.
The Independent’s Elise Bell said of Jama’s first Love Island is that “Quite simply, it feels like she’s always belonged here.”
“After years of prompting from fans, it looks like the producers have finally taken the hint, with Jama’s easy charm and affability reminiscent of Caroline Flack’s much-missed warmth.
“Quite simply, it feels like she’s always belonged here, and regardless of who triumphs as the final couple, I suspect that the real winner of winter Love Island will be Jama.”
Paul Mortimer, the director of reality programming and acquisitions at ITV, previously said: “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.
“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. We’re very pleased to have her on board.”
