‘I said yes right away! Of course! ‘Golden Ticket’: Maya Jama Reveals How She Landed The Role Of Love Island Host Without Auditioning
Maya Jama has revealed that she did not have to audition to host Love Island and accepted the hosting job immediately.
The 28-year-old star has explained in a new interview that it was through his connections with the producers of his various television jobs that he landed the lead role.
It was in the early months of 2022 that she received a phone call while enjoying some free time in the US and found out that she was the number one choice to replace Laura Whitmore in the new series of the ITV2 show, which starts in January. sixteen.
You are in! Maya Jama has revealed that she did not have to audition to host Love Island and she accepted the role immediately (pictured in the trailer for the new series).
She said The times: ‘Once you start doing television, you meet a lot of producers, through different shows, and the bosses will notice the talent. . . That’s weird, calling yourself talent, isn’t it? I speak for a living. It’s not exactly tap dancing everywhere or performing a ballad.
“So I think I’ve always been in his line of sight, but I was very young when the host changes happened in the past.”
The host was having some time off when she got the call about the Love Island concert, explaining, “I got the call saying, ‘We want to meet you.’ I’m trying to think! Anyway, I didn’t have to audition.”
Asked if she said yes right away, Maya exclaimed, ‘Right away! Of course! golden ticket.’
Golden ticket: The host, 28, said TV bosses are “talent conscious”, revealing she was called about the show when she was in the US
Maya isn’t the only one to be a 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 on the Aftersun panel each week.
When the winter series kicks off on January 16, Indiyah and Sam will give their unfiltered thoughts on the latest docking, downloading, and explosive shenanigans.
Indiyah and Sam will interview former Islanders from all nine series of the show on the popular Love Island: The Morning After podcast, produced by Listen.
Change: Maya will take over hosting role from previous host Laura Whitmore (pictured), who stepped down in 2022
Record viewership figures saw the latest series of Love Island, which aired in the summer of 2022, become the most watched series on ITV Hub, amassing over 269 million streams.
The winter debut series aired in January 2020, shortly 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 amid concerns surrounding the pandemic.
The largest yet in the entire series, the villa features a giant pool and is surrounded by palm trees and costs around £430 per night per room.
It is also environmentally friendly as the property is 100% isolated from the grid, allowing it to generate its own electricity, water and numerous sources of food.
Revealed: Maya isn’t the only one to be a 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.