Credit to Photo Twitter Maya Jama
Reality Titbit
By Helen Williams
Winter Love Island made its return in 2023 and brings with it a new host leaving some fans of the ITV2 show wanting to know whether Maya Jama has a Somalian heritage.
She’s been making jaws drop across the nation with her show-stopping looks on Love Island season 9. And judging by Maya’s hot pink cut-out dress worn on Aftersun’s episode 1, she’s showing no signs of slowing with her stunning outfits.
Let’s take a look at the presenter’s roots and find out more about her, including her background and religion.
Is Maya Jama Somalian?
Yes! Maya Jama is of Somalian and Swedish descent. Her father, Hussein, is Somalian and her mother is of Swedish descent.
Maya can also claim to be English as she was born in Bristol on August 14, 1994, making her 28 years old.
Maya’s mother, Sadie, welcomed her into the world when she was just 18. Per The Daily Mail, Maya is close to her mum.
Maya’s hosting career
Maya Jama moved to London to pursue a media career at the age of 16 but struggled to make ends meet, The Evening Standard reports. However, she landed her own radio show – #DriveWithMaya – on Rinse FM in 2014.
In her early 20s, Maya kicked off her presenting career on Trending Live! She moved on to shows such as Cannonball and True Love Or True Lies.
In 2018, Maya landed a role at BBC Radio 1. She’s now Love Island host and often features as a presenter at huge awards shows such as The Brits Are Coming, the MOBO Awards, and the BAFTAs.
Is Maya Jama muslim?
Love Island host Maya has been asked about her religion by social media users in the past.
A Marie Claire interview from 2018 explains Maya’s stance on religion. The report reads: “Her family on her father’s side is Muslim.”
However, when Maya first moved to London as a teenager, she lived with a friend’s older sister named Penny, who she described as “Godly.”
Maya said meeting Penny nudged her towards Christianity and, although she’s ‘not a strict’ Christian, Maya tries to “pray every day”.