Love Island

Maya Jama’s Net Worth Definitely Won’t Give You The Ick

The Love Island host has has built an impressive career for herself.

by Sophie McEvoy
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 05: Maya Jama attends The Fashion Awards 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall on...
Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

Maya Jama is currently living the dream in South Africa as the host of Love Island. Viewers instantly fell in love with the series’ new presenter, who found success after her work on numerous shows for MTV, ITV, and the BBC, as well as being a radio DJ. After major speculation, Jama confirmed that she’d be the ITV2 reality series’ host in October 2022. “I’ve always been such a massive Love Island fan and I’m so excited to be hosting one of the nation’s favourite shows,” she said in a statement. “I can’t wait to get into the villa and meet all the islanders.” As Winter Love Island 2023 continues to garner attention, so does Jama. But what does the presenter have going on aside from the dating show, and how does she make her money?

4 Ways That Maya Jama Makes Her Money

TV

Jama began her presenting career during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, hosting Maya’s FIFA World Cup Cities for car manufacturer Hyundai. She then moved to regularly present Trending Live! followed by The Hot Desk for one episode in 2016.

The presenter then hosted the ITV game show Cannonball in 2017 and then co-hosted the first series of Channel 4’s The Circle in 2018. Jama has also been a host for award shows like the 2017 MOBO Awards and the 2020 BAFTAs and a co-presenter for The Brits Are Coming since 2021.

Jama took over presenting duties from Stacey Dooley for BBC Three’s Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star during its third and fourth series in 2021. She also hosted the short-lived ITV music competition Walk The Line the same year.

Her latest venture, though, is Love Island. “I’ve been a fan of the show pretty much since it started. I know everything about it,” she told British Vogue. “My role is to deliver information and facts but, because I love it so much, I just want to be their best mate and be like, ‘Are you sure you really like that guy?’ I’ll be as involved as I can.”

Radio & Podcasts

From 2014 to 2017, Jama presented the weekday show #DriveWithMaya for Rinse FM. She then moved to BBC Radio 1, co-presenting the Scott Mills show on Fridays for a year, followed by Radio 1’s Greatest Hits and her own show Maya Jama on Fridays and Saturdays from 2018 to 2020.

Jama also hosted the podcast When Life Gives You Melons in partnership with Freya Lingerie in 2018, featuring guests like Cherry Healey, Vick Hope, and former Love Island host Laura Whitmore.

Brand Partnerships

Jama launched a clothing collection with PrettyLittleThing in 2018, followed by a second in 2019. The presenter is an ambassador for Adidas and hair care brand Aussie, and has modelled for JD Sports, GAP, Kurt Geiger, and Maybelline. According to the Daily Mail, Jama has reportedly signed a “multi-million-pound deal” with Rimmel London, following the likes of Kate Moss. She also recently appeared in a campaign for McDonald’s, advertising the launch of the McCrispy burger.

Beauty

In December 2020, Jama launched her face and eye mask range MIJ Masks. As the presenter previously told Bustle, the brand came to be after consistently sharing her face and eye mask picks on Instagram. “I realised I know a lot about [face] masks and was basically promoting loads of other brands,” she said. “So, I thought, ‘Why don’t I just do my own?’” Curated by Jama, MIJ promises to “produce a range that has style and substance, for everyone out there.”

What Is Maya Jama’s Net Worth?

£1.5 million

Jama revealed that she became a millionaire at the age of 26, a result of her presenting and radio gigs alongside her brand partnerships. As she told the Evening Standard, she isn’t motivated by money. “You do something you enjoy and then you get paid for it and you’re like: ‘Oh my gosh, this is so cool!’” Jama used some of her millions to buy her first home in South West London, which she moved into with some friends during lockdown. Now 28 years old, The Sun estimates her Jama’s net worth to be around £1.5 million.