Maya Jama reveals she didn’t have to audition to host Love Island

Maya Jama has revealed she didn’t have to audition to present Love Island and accepted the hosting gig straight away.

The 28-year-old star has revealed in a new interview that her connections to producers got her the plum role from her multiple TV jobs.

In the early months of 2022, while enjoying a rare sabbatical in America, she received a call and revealed she was the top choice to take over from Laura Whitmore for the new series of the ITV2 show, which begins in January 16

You are in! Maya Jama has revealed she didn’t have to audition to present Love Island and accepted the role immediately (pictured in the new series’ trailer).

She told the Times: “Once you start doing television you meet a lot of producers through different shows and heads will be aware of the talent. . . Strange to call yourself a talent, isn’t it? I speak for a living. It’s not exactly tap dancing everywhere or performing a ballad.”

“I think I’ve always been in her eye line, but I was super young when presenter shifts happened in the past.”

The presenter was on time off when she received the call about the Love Island gig, explaining: “I got the call saying ‘We want to meet you.’ Or did they offer it to me straight away? Or “Are you in discussions? I’m trying to think! Anyway, I didn’t have to audition.”

When asked if she said yes right away, Maya exclaimed, “Right away! Naturally! Golden ticket.’

Golden ticket: The presenter, 28, said TV heads are “aware of the talent” and revealed she was called up about the show when she was in the US

Maya isn’t the only new addition to the brand, with last year’s contestant Indiyah Polack and Made in Chelsea’s Sam Thompson set to host the new Love Island podcast and join Maya at the aftersun panel each week.

When the winter series kicks off on January 16th, Indiyah and Sam will share their unfiltered thoughts on the latest clutches, dumps and bombshell antics.

Indiyah and Sam will interview former islanders from all nine series on the popular podcast Love Island: The Morning After, produced by Listen.

Switch it up: Maya takes over the hosting role from former presenter Laura Whitmore (pictured), who stepped down in 2022

With record-breaking viewership, the final Love Island series, which aired in summer 2022, became the most watched series of all time on the ITV Hub with over 269 million streams.

The first winter series aired in January 2020 – just before the COVID-19 pandemic – and was won by Paige Turley and Finn Tapp.

Plans for a second winter series have been shelved in 2021 due to concerns about the pandemic.

The largest of any series to date, the villa features a huge pool, is surrounded by palm trees and typically costs around £430 per night per room.

It’s also eco-friendly as the property is 100 percent off the grid, allowing it to generate its own electricity, water and numerous food sources.

Revealed: Maya isn’t the only new addition to the brand, with last year’s contestant Indiyah Polack and Made in Chelsea’s Sam Thompson set to host the new Love Island podcast