ITV names Maya Jama as new host of Love Island, replacing Laura Whitmore

In November 2022, the British broadcaster ITV confirmed that Maya Jama would become the new host of Love Island, the reality dating series in which contestants live in a villa and couple up. She replaced Laura Whitmore, the Irish presenter who had hosted the show since 2020 and had said she would not return.

Jama, a British presenter and former radio host with the BBC, was already well known for fronting music and entertainment programmes. Her appointment was widely covered in the British press, as Love Island is one of ITV's biggest shows and draws large audiences, especially among younger viewers.

She took over for the winter series of 2023, which was filmed in South Africa and began in January that year. Her arrival marked the start of a new chapter for the programme after Whitmore's tenure, and she went on to present later series, including the summer editions. The choice was seen as an effort to keep the format fresh while retaining its popular, light-hearted tone.