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Maya Jama, widely known for her role as the host of Love Island and as a panellist on The Masked Singer, is now setting her sights on transitioning from presenting to acting. The 31-year-old shared with the BBC that she is experiencing what she describes as “a second wind of ambition” to pursue an acting career, something she initially aspired to but struggled to break into during her teenage years.
Reflecting on her early attempts to enter the acting world, Jama admits to feeling discouraged by repeated rejections and acknowledges she “wasn’t as persistent as I should have been” when auditioning for roles. At just 15, she nearly secured a part in the Channel 4 series Skins, the show that launched the careers of stars like Daniel Kaluuya and Dev Patel. However, after moving to London at 18, she began her career by working behind the scenes at a production company, supplementing her experience with various presenting gigs on YouTube and social media before moving into television.
Jama’s breakthrough in television came through presenting roles on ITV shows such as Cannonball and the MOBO Awards, followed by appearances on The Circle and ITV2’s Don’t Hate the Playaz. Between 2017 and 2020, she also hosted radio shows on Rinse FM and BBC Radio 1. Her profile soared dramatically when she took over as host of Love Island in 2022. Despite this success, she has maintained a desire to explore acting, expressing a wish to take on roles that contrast with her public persona. “My dream role is something completely opposite to me,” she says, envisioning playing “a monster or a mean, evil person. A villain maybe would be nice.”
Aside from her ambitions, Jama also recognizes the challenges faced by aspiring media talents, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds or outside London. She points out that while some contestants on shows like Love Island can leverage their newfound fame to forge media careers, this path is not easy for most. To help address this, she is currently running a six-month mentoring program aimed at supporting young women from underserved communities across the UK. The initiative provides connections within TV production, broadcasting, marketing, fashion, and talent management, with Jama hoping to inspire a wider movement of opportunity and inclusion in these industries. She describes the program as “such a great opportunity” and envisions “thousands of young people” benefiting from such support in the future
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