Love Island bosses are reportedly looking to cast a new face as the host of the dating series next year and are said to have TV presenter Maya Jama and 2019 Islander Maura Higgins in mind “to replace” current host Laura Whitmore.
Laura took over hosting duties for Love Island in 2020 for the first-ever winter version of the show following her good friend and former host Caroline Flack’s tragic passing.
After two seasons of the show, bosses are said to be “keeping their options open” for a new host, with a TV insider telling The Sun: “Producers are keen to keep the show fresh and are keeping their options open. They have been impressed with both Maya and Maura, and think either could bring the necessary pizzazz and sexiness to the role.
“They want someone who is fun and can connect with people. Maura has obviously taken part in the show herself and knows it inside out so could easily relate to contestants and what they are going through. It’s one of the best gigs in showbiz, with a plum six-figure salary and frequent trips to sunny Majorca, so there are plenty of people hungry for the role.
“Contracts for the job are annual and are renegotiated each series.”
A spokesman for ITV has explained there is yet to be confirmation about who will host the next series, telling the publication: “Laura has done a fantastic job at the helm of the show this year and no discussions have yet taken place with regard to the next series.”
This comes as Laura, whose husband Iain Stirling provides the famous voiceover for the show, just wrapped the 2021 series, with Millie Court and Liam Reardon being crowned the winners of this season.
(Image Credit: Maya Jama – Instagram)