Maya Jama was due to attend the Love Island: All Stars press launch on Monday, but hours before the event began, she pulled out due to a mystery illness.
In her absence, the panel, hosted by Elizabeth Day, went ahead with voiceover star Iain Sterling, former winners Molly Smith and Tom Clare, and producers Mike Spencer and Amanda Stavr at Soho House, Television Centre, in West London.
Maya, 31, is due to fly out to South Africa on Monday in time to greet the All Star Islanders in the villa before the new series kicks off on ITV2 in a week’s time.
On Sunday afternoon Maya was in great spirits as she shared an Instagram selfie and gushed that she was ‘so excited and so ready’ to start working again on the hit show, revealing her flight was booked for Monday.
Maya’s team had nothing but praise for their presenter, who is going into her third year hosting the reality series, in her absence on Monday.
Producer Amanda gushed that she ‘is the perfect host for Love Island. She’s cool, she’s fun, she’s sexy, she’s a big fan of the show and she makes it feel really young and relevant.’
Maya Jama was due to attend the Love Island: All Stars press launch on Monday, but hours before the event began, she pulled out due to illness (pictured on last year’s Love Island)
On Sunday afternoon Maya was in great spirits as she shared an Instagram selfie and gushed that she was ‘so excited and so ready’ to start working again on the hit show
‘She brings a great energy to the show. I am sorry that she can’t be with us, but I think her enthusiasm and love for the show and her support for all the Islanders really comes through.’
Mike added that he’s often thought Maya could have been a contestant on the matchmaking show ‘once upon a time. She would have been an iconic Islander. She’s great.’
The star showed off her incredible figure in a gold minidress for a new series promo shoot released on Monday, as she vowed to ‘go sexy’ for the return of Love Island: All Stars.
The presenter stunned as she slipped into the sparkling, chainmail gold micro mini dress.
Ahead of the show’s return, Maya confessed that they are already working on her iconic outfits for when she greets the islanders around the fire pit.
She revealed that while the final wardrobe lineup is still to be finalised, she does know that her ensembles will be ‘sexy as usual’.
The Love Island: All Stars cast has now been confirmed.
Millie Court, 29, who triumphed on the ITV2 series in 2021 alongside ex-Liam Reardon, returns following the couple’s September split and the definitive end to their on/off relationship.
Maya’s team had nothing but praise for their presenter, who is going into her third year hosting the reality series, in her absence on Monday
She is joined by fellow winner Jess Harding, 25, who claimed the £50,000 prize in 2023, but her romance with ex-boyfriend Sammy Root fizzled out just two months after leaving the villa.
Whitney Adebayo, 28, narrowly missed out on winning the same year when she and Lochan Nowacki became runners-up, but to the shock of fans, the couple ended their two-year relationship in 2025 under controversial circumstances.
Boyzone star Ronan Keating’s son, Jack, 26, is also returning to Love Island after failing to find love during his 2022 stint.
Fresh from the Mallorca villa, Helena Ford, 29, will make a return after she was dumped from the show after her ex-partner, Harry Cooksley.
Following on from last summer’s series, Tommy Bradley, 22, is joining former co-star Helena.
Cast your mind back to Love Island in 2018, former contestant Charlie Frederick, 31, will re-enter the villa after he previously dated ex-islander Lucie Donlan.
Also making a return is Belle Hassan, 27, who was one of the first Love Islanders with celebrity connections to enter the ITV2 dating show.
Maya, 31, is due to fly out to South Africaon Monday in time to greet the All Star Islanders in the villa before the new series kicks off on ITV2 in a week’s time
Jess Harding will have another go at finding love in the villa after she won Love Island in 2023 alongside Sammy Root, but their romance was short-lived.
Sweet salesman Sean Stone, 26, and Leanne Amaning are also heading back into the villa for a second chance at finding a connection.
And to finish the lineup, Ciaran Davies, 23, who finished as runner-up in 2024 with then-girlfriend Nicole Samuels, will join Shaq Muhammad, 27, for the new series.
