“When someone loves themselves, and seems fully open and accepting with themselves, people don’t like to see it. Constantly, society is pushing the message of: ‘Love yourself! But, actually, not like that. Do it differently.’ I think, now, I’m pretty sure I love myself, and I’m happy with where I am.”
Having worked on a string of successful shows like Trending Live!, Cannonball and The Circle, and joined BBC Radio 1’s roster of presenters in 2018, Maya Jama’s CV is brimming, remarkably so for someone who is still only 25. These days, amid other things, she is a team captain on Don’t Hate The Playaz, ITV’s new effusive, hip-hop based comedy panel show presented by Jordan Stephens, as well as hosting radio programmes, award shows and everything in between. In our SS20 issue she looks back on the tenacity that’s got her to where she is today, from manifesting her start on MTV, to overcoming family hardships and navigating the pressures of press attention, with the infectious positivity that’s allowed her to create her own unmistakeable energy on screen.