Maya Jama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maya Jama
Jama in 2018
Born	Maya Indea Jama (1994-08-14) 14 August 1994 (age 30) Bristol, England
Occupation	Television presenter radio presenter
Years active	2012–present
Partner(s)	Stormzy (2014–2019, 2023–2024) Ben Simmons (2021-2022) Rúben Dias (2025–present)

Maya Jama (born August 14, 1994) is a British TV presenter and radio DJ. She has hosted popular shows like Peter Crouch: Save Our Summer on BBC One and Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star on BBC Three. Since 2023, she has been the main presenter for the dating series Love Island on ITV2.

Before Love Island, Maya co-hosted Trending Live! on 4Music and Cannonball on ITV. She also presented True Love or True Lies for MTV and the first series of The Circle on Channel 4. On the radio, she hosted #DriveWithMaya on Rinse FM and later had her own show on BBC Radio 1.

Early Life and Background

Maya Jama was born and grew up in Bristol, England. She went to Cotham School. Her father's family is from Somalia, and her mother's family is from Scotland and Sweden. Maya's mother, Sadie, was 19 when Maya was born. She named Maya after the famous American writer and poet Maya Angelou. Maya also has a brother.

Maya's father was in prison for much of her childhood. When she was 12, she decided to stop visiting him. She later shared that her father's side of the family was very supportive. They made sure she and her brother felt like they had everything they needed. Maya is still very close with her mother. They sometimes appear on TV shows and attend events together.

Maya's Career Journey

Starting in Television

In 2012, Maya moved to London to start a career in media. She first wanted to be an actress, but then realized that being a TV presenter might be a better fit. She looked up to presenters like Davina McCall and June Sarpong. Maya began presenting as a teenager, hosting a music video countdown on JumpOff.TV. She also worked for Sky UK on TRACE Sports.

In 2014, she hosted Maya's FIFA World Cup Cities for Copa90. This show was about her travels during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. She also co-hosted the World Cup Taxi series. In August 2014, Maya joined MTV as a presenter for The Wrap Up.

In 2017, she worked with the Brit Awards. She hosted their 2017 Pre-Brit Awards Party and a live stream from the red carpet. In September 2017, she co-presented the game show Cannonball on ITV. She was also a guest on ITV's Loose Women. In November 2017, at 23, she became the youngest person to co-host the MOBO Awards on Channel 5.

In September 2018, Maya co-presented the first series of The Circle on Channel 4. In October 2018, she co-presented Stand Up to Cancer. She also became a team captain on the ITV2 show Don't Hate the Playaz. In 2019, she appeared on A League of Their Own Road Trip. She was also on Channel 4's The Big Fat Quiz of the Year in 2019 and 2020.

In June 2020, she presented Peter Crouch: Save Our Summer on BBC One. Later that year, she co-presented The Big New Year's In for BBC One. In January 2021, the BBC announced Maya would host Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star. In February 2021, she was a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK. In September 2021, it was announced that Maya would host Simon Cowell’s new music show Walk The Line.

In October 2022, it was announced that Maya would take over as the presenter of Love Island on ITV2. In August 2023, she was also announced as the host for Love Island Games, a spin-off show with contestants from around the world.

Radio Work

From 2014 to 2017, Maya hosted #DriveWithMaya, a weekday show on Rinse FM.

In 2018, she joined BBC Radio 1. She presented Radio 1's Greatest Hits on Saturdays. She also co-presented on Fridays with Scott Mills and Chris Stark. From 2018 to 2020, she had her own show, Maya Jama, on Fridays and Saturdays.

On May 15, 2020, the BBC confirmed that Maya had left Radio 1 after two years. She said she had "a lot of exciting commitments" planned. These commitments meant she could not continue her radio show.

Other Projects

In 2018, Maya hosted a podcast called When Life Gives You Melons. In this podcast, she interviewed women about their work, lives, and relationships. Guests included Cherry Healey and Laura Whitmore.

That same year, Maya became an ambassador for Savera UK. This group helps people who have faced or are at risk of 'Honour' Based Abuse. In 2019, she donated blood for an NHS campaign. It was found that she has a rare and needed blood type called Ro.

She also launched successful clothing collections with PrettyLittleThing in 2018 and 2019. Maya is an ambassador for Adidas and Aussie hair care. She has also appeared in campaigns for JD Sports, GAP, and Kurt Geiger.

In December 2020, Maya launched her own line of face and eye masks called MIJ Masks. The first release sold out very quickly.

In March 2024, Maya hosted the BRIT Awards alongside Roman Kemp and Clara Amfo. In November 2024, it was announced that she will manage one of the teams in the upcoming Baller League UK, a six-a-side football league.

Personal Life

Maya Jama lives in West London. She is a big fan of football. She supports both Bristol Rovers and West Ham United.

Between 2014 and 2019, Maya was in a relationship with British rapper Stormzy. Their breakup inspired his 2019 song "Lessons." In 2021, it was reported that Maya was dating NBA player Ben Simmons. In August 2022, they reportedly ended their engagement. In August 2023, Maya and Stormzy were seen together again. However, on July 17, 2024, it was reported they had separated again. They shared on Instagram, "We tried, and it didn't work, and that's okay.” In March 2025, it was mentioned that Maya was dating Portuguese professional footballer, Rúben Dias.

Filmography

Awards and Recognition

In November 2019, Maya won the People's Choice Award for best dressed star. She also hosted the 2020 EE BAFTA red carpet. In 2024, she was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe, which highlights successful young people.