‘It just didn’t work’: Maya Jama reveals split from Stormzy

17 July 2024, 14:58 | Updated: 17 July 2024, 15:21

Maya Jama and Stormzy at Paris Fashion Week
Maya Jama and Stormzy at Paris Fashion Week. Picture: Getty

By Henry Moore

Love Island host Maya Jama and Stormzy have announced their split, ten years after they first started dating.

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The couple confirmed their breakup in a social media statement today, leaving fans heartbroken.

Maya, 29, who is currently filming Love Island in Majorca, told fans “it just didn’t work” as she promised to remain friends with the Brit Award-winning rapper.

Their statement read: "We've been laughing whilst drafting this because we never, ever, in a million years thought we'd be the couple announcing a breakup, but for the sake of clarity and, more importantly, to allow us the space and grace that's needed for us both to be able to navigate this next bit of our lives with peace, we thought it might be best to."

Maya Jama shared the news with her followers on Instagram
Maya Jama shared the news with her followers on Instagram. Picture: Instagram

Opening up about their journey together, Maya wrote: "We fell madly in love in 2014, broke up in 2019, and then spent five years manoeuvring life apart.

"We decided to try for the final time in August 2023, and we've spent this past year trying our best to make it work; however, we recently decided to call it quits."

She added: "We were 21 and 20 when we first met at the beginning of our careers and spent five years growing together and then five years growing separately.

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"So this final attempt required a whole lot of figuring out, relearning, and We still think the absolute world of each other.

"We still care and respect each other, we are still grateful for the time we've had together.

Maya Jama and Stormzy were last seen together at the British Grand Prix
Maya Jama and Stormzy were last seen together at the British Grand Prix. Picture: Alamy
Maya Jama and Stormzy at Idris Elba's Christmas Party At Kadie's Cocktail Bar & Club
Maya Jama and Stormzy at Idris Elba's Christmas Party At Kadie's Cocktail Bar & Club. Picture: Getty

"We are still friends and will always be friends (so if you see us having a lil catch-up at The Brits or something, don't cause a fuss, we are dawgs!).

"Love you guys and thank you for all the love you've showered us with, it's been beautiful! Mike & M x"

Maya Jama began dating Stormzy in 2014, a number of years before his music career exploded.

Speaking to the Mirror in 2017, Stormzy said he was ready to propose to the star: "I'm still so young but I want to propose, it's going to happen and I will do it right. She is so sick, she is the best."

In the wake of his rise to fame, though, the couple struggled to maintain their relationship, breaking up in 2019.

During their time apart, Maya Jama would have a number of high-profile relationships, including an engagement to basketball star Ben Simmons.