Presenter Maya Jama has announced she is stepping down as host of the reality show Love Island after three years in the role, according to BBC reporting. Jama, 32, shared the news on Instagram on Sunday alongside a video montage of her time on the programme, writing that she felt it was the right moment to pursue something different. She took over the ITV2 dating show in 2023, succeeding Laura Whitmore.
In her post, Jama said her time on the series had come to a close and that she would continue to support the show and its team from afar. She described her run as an unforgettable experience and thanked both viewers and the production crew.
"I started hosting the show aged 28 and during the nine incredible series met the most wonderful humans along the way," she wrote, adding that she had enjoyed every element of the format, from its slow-motion entrances to the fire pit and the live episodes. She also said she believes that real growth sometimes requires taking a leap.
An ITV spokesperson paid tribute to her tenure, calling her a fantastic and much-loved host and thanking her for her contribution over the past three years, while wishing her success in her future work.
Why it matters
Jama's departure removes one of British television's most recognisable faces from one of its highest-profile reality formats. Love Island is a fixture of ITV2's schedule and a major driver of online conversation during its runs, and the host's role is closely tied to the show's public identity. Her exit also comes at a moment when her wider profile appears to be expanding beyond the dating series, which makes the timing notable for both her career and the programme.
The announcement follows closely on her appearance as a contestant on Celebrity Traitors, a run that drew praise and prompted press speculation about her earning potential. According to BBC reporting, the Times suggested she could command around £1m per deal on the back of that success. One commentator quoted in that coverage argued that although she did not win the show, she came out of it strengthened, presenting herself as a versatile television star rather than simply the face of Love Island.
A career built across radio and television
Before Love Island, Jama established herself through music radio, including at Rinse FM, before joining BBC Radio 1 as a presenter in 2018. She later fronted a range of programmes, among them Channel 4's Stand Up To Cancer and ITV2's Don't Hate the Playaz, and in 2021 she became host of BBC Three's Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star. The Love Island job, which she began in 2023, was described in the BBC's reporting as her biggest presenting role to that point.
Love Island's format places a group of contestants in a villa, pairing them up and setting them tasks while allowing partners to change, with the aim of finding a lasting relationship. The host presides over key moments including recouplings and the live final.
Jama's statement did not indicate what she plans to do next, and no replacement host has been announced. ITV's comment focused on thanking her rather than on the show's future lineup.
What to watch next: ITV's choice of a successor, and whether Jama's post-Traitors momentum translates into new presenting or brand work.
