Maya Jama, the charismatic host of Love Island, has arrived in South Africa after having to cancel her appearance at the highly-anticipated launch show just before her scheduled flight for the new season of Love Island All Stars.
Sporting a relaxed look in a white shirt and black sunglasses, the 31-year-old from Bristol appeared noticeably happier upon landing in South Africa compared to her initial flight to the country. Maya had to skip the press launch due to illness shortly before filming was set to begin for the reality show, which features the return of beloved islanders from past seasons.
Originally scheduled to kick off the show’s launch with ITV on Monday before the premiere episode this Sunday, Maya’s absence at the industry event in London was due to her sudden illness. A representative confirmed her illness and expressed Maya’s eagerness for the Love Island All Stars premiere on January 12th.
Despite missing the initial event, Maya took to Instagram to share her journey to South Africa, expressing her hope that the warm weather and Vitamin C would help her recover from her illness. She humorously mentioned her last-minute battle with the flu and her reliance on Vitamin C to combat it.
Although absent from the launch event, ITV executives praised Maya for her role as the host of Love Island, emphasizing her cool, fun, and engaging personality that adds a youthful and relevant energy to the show. They highlighted her enthusiasm and support for the islanders, despite her unavoidable absence.
Before departing for South Africa, Maya shared her excitement on Instagram, showing off her toned abs in a mirror selfie and expressing her readiness to return to work. The upcoming season of Love Island: All Stars features 12 returning islanders, including well-known names like Whitney Adebayo, Millie Court, Belle Hassan, Charlie Frederick, Helena Ford, and Jack Keating.
Anticipated to be the most explosive and longest-running season yet, Love Island: All Stars promises significant drama and a potential twist involving international islanders joining as late arrivals. The new season is set to premiere on January 12th on ITV2 and ITVX.