Maya Jama will appear in just one episode of the upcoming eighth series of The Masked Singer, ITV confirmed.
The television presenter is stepping back from her role as a regular panelist on the hit reality competition after joining the show in 2024 to replace Rita Ora for series six.
The upcoming series introduces a brand new rival panel format, meaning Jama was never scheduled to film every episode, according to ITV. Comedian Alan Carr will lead a separate “wild card” panel of celebrity detectives, which includes Stacey Solomon, to compete against the original panel of investigators.
The original panel has been rebranded as the “Legends” team and features Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, and Mo Gilligan alongside Jama. “Audiences can look forward to seeing Maya on the Legends panel in episode 2 of the new series,” an ITV spokesperson told The Independent.
“Due to The Masked Singer’s brand new rival panel format, Maya was never scheduled to film all episodes of series 8, airing in 2027,” the spokesperson added. The network expects the competition to return early next year with its fresh format twists.
Jama’s reduced television schedule follows a busy period of career moves, including her run on The Celebrity Traitors last month. The presenter reached the final of the BBC show after starting as a Traitor, gaining over 64,000 Instagram followers during her time in the Scottish castle before her fellow contestants banished her at the penultimate roundtable.
Days after that final aired, Jama announced she was quitting her hosting job on Love Island after three years to pursue new ventures. She recently revealed an upcoming partnership with Netflix, sharing a report from Variety detailing multiple projects in development with the streaming platform.
“I can’t give too much away just yet, but I’m so excited for this next chapter. Watch this space!” Jama wrote on Instagram earlier this month.
While industry speculation suggests Jama will not return to the ITV guessing game following its 2027 run, network executives have not finalized plans for subsequent outings. Production for the following series is scheduled to take place in late 2027 ahead of a 2028 broadcast.
“Bosses are saying no decisions have been made about the next series – the one that will film in late 2027 and air in 2028 – but insiders say she won’t be returning,” a source told The Sun, as reported by The Independent. Representatives for Jama have been contacted for comment.
Worth a look