MAYA Jama and Stormzy’s break-up announcement came as a bolt from the blue and has left fans devastated.
In a shared statement yesterday, the Love Island presenter, 29, and rapper, 30, revealed they had failed to make it work – but insisted they would remain friends.
Last night, a source told The Sun: “They are at totally different places in their lives. He wants to settle down but Maya wants to focus on her career.”
First getting together in 2014, the couple broke up five years later, before we revealed they had reunited again last August.
And a source close to the couple told us: “Maya wants to go out and be a social butterfly but he’s a homebody these days and isn’t keen on going out at all.
“[Stormzy] wants to settle down whereas Maya doesn’t want to do that yet — she wants to focus on her career.
TV relationship expert Jo Hemmings, who has followed the couple’s romance for years, says their break-up statement was the “most mature, candid and thoughtful” she has ever seen.
Here, she unpacks the shock break-up and explains why, although it may hurt, the Love Island host is right to focus on her career – and is destined to go to the very top.
Maya Jama is one of the hottest women on the planet right now.
News that she and Stormzy have split might have devastated fans, who hoped for a happy-ever-after ending, but Maya shouldn’t feel pressure to settle down.
She’s at the height of her career and is reportedly worth more than £3million, so it’s understandable the Love Island star would want to make the most of her talent while she’s at the top.
She last year replaced Kate Moss as the face of Rimmel. She is the darling of high-fashion brands like Dolce and Gabbana, has her own business selling eye masks, created a clothing range with PrettyLittleThing and her first foray into beauty saw her MIJ skincare range sell out within a week.
Maya enjoys an incredible lifestyle too, jetting around the world for work, enjoying luxury holidays with girlfriends including trips to Ibiza, and even partying with Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio.
It’s been reported that Stormzy wanted to move their relationship to the next step with a family but, at 29, Maya wasn’t ready.
Unfortunately when two people are at different stages of their lives, a split seems inevitable – but they have handled their break-up with amazing honesty.
Their joint Instagram announcement was probably written by Maya but signed by them both. I thought it was the most mature, candid, thoughtful statement I’ve ever seen from any celebrity break-up.
It’s obviously there to stop speculation but kindness just shone through. The fact they are amazing friends but it just didn’t work out for them… it was beautifully put together.
Of course, it’s a real shame they have separated. They are such a likeable couple and everyone wanted them to work, but their reasoning was well explained and there was almost a joyous note to such sad news.
The couple separated after trying to reignite their previous love affair.
They dated for five years before going their separate ways in 2019, but reconnected last August.
I feel like they saw the glory and loveliness in each other and wanted to be back together, but the truth is they are not on the same page.
They were reportedly seeking counselling last year to “rid themselves of past tensions”, which I think is to their credit. But sometimes that doesn’t repair relationships, but exposes through a third party what differences there are.
When couples get back together after a break-up, the temptation is to believe that it was a case of ‘the right person at the wrong time’.
When you reunite, there’s a feeling that you’re more mature and you’re ready for something to start again that might be enduring.
I think that’s what Maya and Stormzy had hoped for but, the bottom line is that they are at different stages of their lives.
He bought a seven-bedroom, huge family home and admitted late last year he was ready to settle down. I think Maya hoped she would be in that place, but simply wasn’t.
Perhaps she got some insight while working with the Love Islanders.
She probably looked at them and thought ‘they’ve got all that freedom and all their lives in front of them’.
Also, who would want to play housewife when you’re as successful as Maya anyway?
She is believed to earn a six-figure salary for her Love Island presenting role, but it’s fashion and beauty campaigns that have really boosted her bank balance.
Maya signed a mega-bucks deal, said to be worth millions, with Rimmel, is the face of Dolce & Gabbana and is sought after by streaming giant Netflix.
Her debut skincare range MIJ was a runaway hit, with her face masks selling out in the first week.
Maya is practically the most beautiful woman in the world and she’s still so much further to go.
She previously said losing her first love aged 16 has given her a “fearless” approach to life.
2016 – Stormzy and Maya Jama first got together when she was 20 and the couple quickly won over the hearts of the public.
2018 – The couple moved in together in southwest London with the dog they shared, Enzo.
2019 – They announced their split after a four year romance.
2021 – Maya meets and gets engaged to basketball player Ben Simmons.
July, 2022 – Maya calls off her engagement.
November, 2022 – Maya and Stormzy kissed at the MTV VMAs in Dusseldorf, Germany.
May, 2023 – The Sun revealed how Maya had been visiting Stormzy at his London home.
August, 2023 – Maya and Stormzy confirmed their relationship was back on when they were spotted strolling hand-in-hand on holiday.
December, 2023 – Maya goes Instagram official again with her man.
July, 2024 – Maya and Stormzy announce their split
She was on the phone to her boyfriend Rico Gordon when he was caught in the crossfire of a shooting between two gangs in Bristol. Two men were later jailed for life his murder.
She later said his death taught her that life was really short.
I’m sure this has had an impact. It’s made her feel that she has to treasure every day and take every opportunity that comes her way.
Perhaps that is what she is thinking now. Well, I wish her all the love in the world on her journey as a new singleton – and the same for lovely Stormzy, too.
