Odds On Who Will Replace Maya Jama On Love Island

_{Maya Jama’s iconic Love Island hosting role has sparked odds on potential replacements. (Image: Associated Press / Alamy)}

Maya Jama has returned to South Africa to oversee the second-ever Love Island: All Stars series, which has sparked speculation about when she might depart the role. Recent rumours have suggested Maya could leave the show after this summer's series, but she came out to deny such speculation.

In late 2024, she wrote on Instagram: "I will be hosting Love Island next year and have no plans to leave right now."

However, the TV presenter has since admitted she wants to further her acting career, saying, "I think I just want to enjoy the year and be open to all opportunities. I’d like to explore acting as well, just to put the feelers out there."

This has added further fuel to the fire about Maya potentially calling time on her slow-mo walks into the villa—but who might replace her? 

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Maura's Love Island Return 

Should Maya depart the ITV2 series anytime soon, then there looks set to be a three-way battle to replace her.

_{Maura Higgins is a top contender for Maya's replacemnet. (Image: Ian Davidson / Alamy)}

Maura Higgins recently gave her career a big boost by appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! late last year, but her best work of late has been fronting Love Island USA: Aftersun across the pond.

Maura has gained huge praise for her work on the Love Island US spin-off show, and it could be the perfect training ground for presenting the UK's main show at some point.

A TV source recently told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "She has been building up her skills as a presenter and is very much part of the Love Island family. She also has the unique perspective of having appeared herself as a ­contestant. She’s just also had a successful stint on I’m A Celeb so the world is her oyster now."

Maura is 10/11 favourite to take over from Maya when she does depart the programme, but the Irish star will face some stiff competition from former Love Island stars-turned-TV presenters Olivia Attwood (11/10) and Indiyah Polak (11/8).

Olivia Is Available

Olivia has made no secret of the fact that she would like to replace Maya on the show when the time is right.

The star—who participated in Love Island season three in 2017—launched her own dating show, Olivia Attwood's Bad Boyfriends, last year, and she has become known as an ITV documentary-maker, too.

_{Olivia praised Maya's work on Love Island but admits hosting the show would be life-changing. (Image: PA Images / Alamy)}

But in November, Olivia admitted she would be well up for hosting Love Island if Maya left the series. When asked by The Sun's TV Mag if she wants to front the dating show one day, she replied, "People do always ask me this, so let’s say this before this gets twisted: Maya Jama is crushing it.

"She’s the right host, 100 percent. If she ever didn’t want to do it and asked me, of course I’d do it. That show changed my life; how could I say no?"

Olivia admitted her "emotional connection" to Love Island—on which she found love with Chris Hughes before the pair went their separate ways—would make it almost impossible to turn down the main hosting gig.

She said, "Even if I had some reason, I couldn’t turn it down because my heart would feel like, ‘I’m going home! Back to the mother ship! So if that day ever comes, consider me available."

However, Indiyah's presenting skills are also well known to ITV bosses. Since appearing in the show's eighth season, she has gone on to co-host the programme's podcast,  Love Island: The Morning After, alongside former Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson.

And the pair also appear as panellists on the Maya-fronted spin-off Love Island: Aftersun.

Georgia Joke To Come True? 

Others who could be in contention for the coveted role include ex-Islander Ekin-Su Culculoglu (2/1), who is expected to appear on this year's All Stars, and Chloe Burrows (3/1).

_{Ekin-Su Culculoglu is expected to appear on Love Island All Stars this year. (Image: SOPA Images Limited / Alamy)}

Online publication The Tab jokingly reported on 2024's April Fools' Day that former Islander Georgia Steel had replaced Maya. It was later revealed to be a joke—but stranger things have happened.

Georgia is a 5/1 chance to land the role in real life, but Love Island bosses could opt for a man next time around. If so, Olivia's ex Chris looks most likely at 11/2, while Sam is 8/1, and the show's narrator, Iain Stirling, is a 16/1 outsider. However, if series bosses look across the pond at Maura, they could also look to poach current Love Island USA host Ariana Madix (6/1).

Ariana has attracted plenty of praise for the role, so it might be tough to pry her away from the US, but one of her predecessors, Sarah Hyland (7/1) or Arielle Vandenberg (10/1), could also be in contention.

Maya's 2026 Exit?

But when will the likes of Maura and Olivia get the chance to step into Maya's shoes?

She has certainly appeared to rule out the possibility of leaving the series this year, but if her acting career gets off the ground, then there is a chance she could let Love Island in the future.

It's Evens favourite that Maya departs the series next year, and 2/1 for her to do so in 2027, but it's 3/1 she walks this year.

It's also not impossible that Maya is the last-ever host of the dating show (10/1) if, for some reason, it was to be axed while she was still the frontwoman.