Love Island's Maya Jama teases huge Ruben Dias bombshell as she 'wants loads of romance'

Maya Jama has opened up about love – and she wants lots of it.

The TV host has declared: "This time, it's not about my love life, it's about theirs," as she launches the second series of Love Island All Stars. The host is returning for a second series of the ITV2 dating show amid frenzied rumours about her own love life. Maya, 30, is reportedly newly dating Manchester City centre-half Ruben Dias, 27, after the pair were spotted dining together in Ibiza on New Year’s Eve.

Portuguese international Ruben then shared a picture of him cosying up to the presenter as they watched the sunset as part of his festive highlights with Maya's Instagram like of the post seemingly cementing their relationship. The footballer previously dated Love Island 2019 contestant Arabella Chi last year.

While she's yet to make things official with Ruben on her own terms, for now Maya is happy to delve into the love lives of some of Love Island’s most iconic contestants for her return to South Africa for the second All Stars special. “I want loads of romance. I want loads of drama and loads of kick-offs,” she told the Mirror, revealing her check-list for the new series.

Maya has had a tumultuous time in her own love life lately, after reconciling with long-term love Strormzy last year after five years apart much to the delight of their fans - only to split again less than a year later. Maya said they felt they had to put out a public statement due to the interest in their reunion.

Does she envy the Love Island contestants being to date without access to their phones in the villa? “Once they leave the villa they will be talking all about their personal lives anyway so there is pressure.But I think it’s harder for new islanders as they have no idea what to expect. The All Stars they know how it goes by now. They know how to carry they themselves, they are a bit wiser. If you’re working in Tesco and you come out and suddenly everyone wants to know about you and who you’ve snogged you’re going to be very confused.”

As the host of the biggest dating show on telly, does Maya tire of the interest in her own dating history? “I’m used to it I think even before Love Island people were interested.” Maya said she enjoys playing spectator to the goings on in the villa and ‘feels like a proud auntie’ watching some of the islanders go the distance. Love Island has seen engagements, marriages and even children being born to couples from the show. But the all-seeing host says she can spot in an instant when someone is faking it for the cameras and they’d have to be ‘an amazing actor’ to fool her.

Has she already spotted a couple in the new line-up which includes the likes of Curtis Pritchard, Scott Thomas and Kay Crossley.
“Look I’m not Mystic Meg. I was trying to work out who will end up with who and I can’t. What I like about All Stars is they know each other already, they’ve got pre-made opinions about whether they like each other or not.”

The show has seen its fair share of fireworks, Maya was seen getting emotional and shed tears during the latest series watching a couple reunite. “It was a happy tear. Initially there was speculation someone was rude to me. People were calling me like ‘Who made you cry?!’ And I was like no they were happy tears. I cry more at cute bits,” she admits.

Before landing the job as host after Laura Whitmore - who previously replaced the late Caroline Flack - stepped down, Maya has been an avid fan of Love Island for years. The star got hooked on the show while with ex Stormzy, with the pair being known for their commentary on the couples and the rapper even appearing on the show via video call in 2017 to berate then contestant Olivia Attwood.

Two contestants from that series, which Maya brands ‘one of her favourites’, are returning to All Stars - Marcel Sommerville (previously of 00s boyband Blazin' Squad) and his ex Gabby Allen. Marcel and Gabby split after the musician cheated on her during a romantic holiday following a series of rows. Despite the break-up, Maya admits she’s still rooting for them and hopes they can reconcile.

“I have to be neutral, but I am very excited about Gaby and Marcel. Just because when I was watching that series I was hooked into everything about their relationship. Now I’ve followed them on the outside I think that would be kind of cute or just to see who they do end up with. I think Marcel is such a cutie.” Maya knows a thing or two about forgiveness after taking Stormzy back after he admitted to cheating on her on heartbreak album Heavy is the Head.

The pair got together for 11 months, before calling quits last August. Maya posted a statement at the time: “We've been laughing whilst drafting this because we never, ever, in a million years thought we'd be the couple announcing a breakup, but for the sake of clarity and, more importantly, to allow us the space and grace that's needed for us both to be able to navigate this next bit of our lives with peace, we thought it might be best to. Describing their time together, she wrote: “We fell madly in love in 2014, broke up in 2019, and then spent five years manoeuvring life apart."

While Maya is seemingly ‘off the market’ with her new footballer beau, that is unlikely to stop some of the fellow contestants attempting to make a pass at her. Some of the 72 cameras in the villa have captured the contestants' jaw-dropped reactions to her infamous slow-motion walks into the house.

“I do notice it. But my jaw is open for them too!” laughs Maya. “I say ‘You lot look fit!’ They just cut those bits out. The compliments are returned honestly. I do actually say it back to them but it’s not part of [the show]. The All Stars flirt less with me actually because I’ve seen them out before. But I do chuckle.”

As well as her walk, Maya’s sizzling outfits have also become something of a must-see for fans of the show. And the host admits she’s been working hard to top her looks from previous series - flying out to Cape Town South Africa with a whole glam team from stylists, make-up artists and her hairdresser.

“We did a fitting the other day. We brought extra outfits this year so we can decide on the day depending on the vibe. I have so much input. I say, ‘I don’t want to wear so much black or I don’t want cut-outs as we did that a lot last time’ and my stylist will bring options and we try them on and see what looks best for the vibe of the night” The sizzling South African sun sees scorching temperatures in the day but by night a wind sweeps the sprawling garden. “Sometimes the wind goes in my favour!” jokes Maya, admitting it can add to the drama of her entrances.

Giving a tour of the villa and showing off the contestants’ dressing room, Maya says: “I’m so impressed with how the girls do their own hair and make up. I would be useless in here. They get ready in such a small amount of time as well. And what they do in here with the curls and the waves.”

When Maya is not hosting the show, she’s opted to stay in South Africa for the duration - returning to the same idyllic vineyard cottage she stayed with pals at the last All Stars series to save her flying back and forth to the UK as she does for the summer series filmed in Majorca. “I don’t stay in a hotel as it's nice to make somewhere your own. I’ve got a bike where I cycle around the area. Even the coffee shop owners know me. I’m a local basically. I know all the spots now,” she says.

Fans back home will also be seeing a lot of Maya, after she landed a judging role on ITV ’s Masked Singer - which launched last weekend. Despite her continued success, Maya says she’s already looking into new projects and is prepared to start at the bottom. Revealing her ambition to become an actress, Mays said: “I’ve been having a couple of screen tests and auditions.

“My dream role would be to play a villain or something not like me that shows I can act. Something like a villain with no teeth that crawls on the floor. So people could be like, 'Wow it’s like two people!' I would never say no to EastEnders it’s an iconic show. But I don’t watch much normal telly now, it’s just Love Island oh and The Masked Singer!”

But for now Maya is back hosting the 12th series of Love Island. While she’s back on familiar ground, Maya says she prefers to remain in the dark about the show’s many twists and turns. “I don’t know anything, I find out everything literally just before the viewers do. But I prefer it that way. I don’t ever want to be responsible for anything getting out. I say, ‘Tell me last minute!' I’ll find out when you guys do. And that way my reactions are more genuine as well.”

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