Maya Jama Quits as Host of Love Island UK After Nine Series
Maya Jama quits Love Island UK — and honestly, the villa will never be the same. The 32-year-old host announced on Instagram on Sunday evening, Nov. 8, 2026, that she is stepping down as host of ITV’s Love Island UK after three years and nine series — the main show, the winter editions, and Love Island: All Stars.
Photo: MTV UK, via Wikimedia Commons (Maya Jama hosting MTV’s True Love Or True Lies?, 2018)
It is the end of an era, full stop. For three years, Jama has been the face of the franchise — the entrances, the eliminations, the reunions, the chaos. Now she is closing that chapter on her own terms.
What Maya Jama said
In her announcement, Jama said:
“What an incredible era and what an unforgettable time I’ve had… it’s my time to step down as the host of my beloved Love Island.”
Short, sweet, and straight from the heart — no drama, no messy exit, just gratitude for a run that made her one of the most recognisable presenters on British TV.
Her run in the villa
Jama took over from Laura Whitmore in 2023, starting at age 28, and went on to host nine series across three years. That run covered the main summer show, the winter editions, and Love Island: All Stars, cementing her as the steady hand at the centre of the villa’s biggest moments.
She did not just present the show — she became part of its identity. And after nine series, she is walking away while the show is still very much a cultural moment.
Who could replace her?
ITV has NOT named a replacement, so for now, this is all press speculation — not confirmed.
Names floated in the press as possible successors include GK Barry, Olivia Attwood, Chloe Burrows, and Indiyah Polack. All four know the villa inside out, but none has been confirmed by ITV, and the broadcaster has not said when it will announce its choice.
Whoever takes over has big shoes to fill — and a fanbase that will have opinions, immediately.
What’s next for Maya Jama
Jama is not slowing down. She is next due on BBC’s Celebrity Traitors, swapping the villa for a very different kind of reality TV drama.
The Toledo angle: Love Island USA is unaffected
For Toledo fans who stream both versions, here is the good news: Love Island USA continues, hosted by Ariana Madix — the American villa is unaffected by the UK shake-up. So while the UK show searches for a new host, the US version carries on as normal.
All Stars returns in January
There is still plenty of villa to look forward to. Love Island: All Stars returns in January, filmed in South Africa — but with a new host still to be announced, the countdown to that return just got a lot more interesting.
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