How Love Island host Maya Jama became a national treasure – and the secret heartache which has spurred her to success

thesun.co.uk:

FORGET the rippling six-packs, the barely there bikinis and who’s cracking on with who. When the winter edition of Love Island kicked off last month, all eyes were on the scorching-hot new host Maya Jama.

As she sashayed on to screen for the first time wearing a jaw-dropping red two-piece that showed off her killer curves in all their glory, it was abundantly clear to everyone watching just who the star of the show was going to be.

Here was a woman who understood the assignment. With her natural warmth, quick wit, cool confidence and stunning looks, Maya, 28, was an instant hit with the Love Island faithful, who immediately flooded social media to sing her praises.  “Overwhelmed from last night,” she tweeted after the launch show.

READ MORE ON MAYA JAMAAFTER HOURS Love Island host Maya Jama leaves fans stunned in very racy dress for AfterSunfine wine I was such a late bloomer - boys didn’t fancy me, says Love Island’s Maya Jama “Thank you so much for your kind words.”  Love Island will undoubtedly make her a household name and one of the most in-demand women in TV, but it hasn’t been a quick or effortless climb to the top…  Maya has had to grit her teeth and graft in order to earn her stripes, spending many years working “doubly hard” to prove she was more than just a celebrity girlfriend, thanks to her four-year relationship with grime superstar Stormzy.