WWE star and interviewer Cathy Kelly has made clear her intention to replace Maya Jama as Love Island host, publicly urging ITV to consider her for the role just hours after Jama announced her departure.
Maya Jama steps down after three years
The 32-year-old presenter, who recently appeared on Celebrity Traitors, shared the news on her Instagram page on Sunday evening in a statement to fans. Love Island was revived by ITV in 2015 and was hosted by Caroline Flack from 2015 until 2019, then Laura Whitmore from 2020 until 2023, with Jama hosting for the last three years.
In her statement, Jama wrote: "What an incredible era and what an unforgettable time I’ve had, it’s been far too much fun to put into words or a video… but as all good things must come to an end, it’s my time to step down as the host of my beloved Love Island."
She added: "I'll forever be grateful for the experience. But I’ve always believed that to truly grow, you have to take a leap every now and then, and now is my time to throw myself into something new. While my own Love Island journey has come to an end, I wish the show and the team all the success in the world, I’ll be cheering you lot on from the sidelines forever."
Cathy Kelly's pitch to ITV
Kelly, a self-described massive Love Island fan, quote-tweeted her own post from July 2023 in which she wrote: "if Maya Jama ever wants to hand over the baton, I'm ready . . . ISLANDERS." The post included two photos of her in a sleek shiny dress, similar to what Jama would wear when hosting.
In her new post over the weekend, she wrote: "!!!! tag me in @ITV. Lord knows who of my favourite things are @Loveisland and an accent."
Fan reaction and career background
Fans responded quickly, with one saying they would be sad if she left WWE, to which she replied: "or it could be the greatest television crossover of all time." Another said: "I would actually watch it if she hosted." Her plea has been liked more than 1.7k times and viewed over 72k times.
Kelly joined WWE in 2016, starting as an interviewer on the NXT brand before moving to the main roster shortly after. She left in 2020 but rejoined in 2022, and is now one of the company's most beloved on-screen interviewers by both fans and co-stars.
