Huge ITV star set to replace Rita Ora on Masked Singer UK after judge ‘quits’-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro

Rita Ora may be set to step down from Masked Singer with Maya Jama taking over (Picture: FilmMagic)

Rita Ora is set to quit the hit ITV reality series The Masked Singer UK and will be replaced by Love Island icon Maya Jama, reports suggest.

The celebrity singing competition, which averages 7 million views, has run for five seasons and is judged by Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, and the Let You Love Me hitmaker.

Previous winners of the UK version have included Natalie Imbruglia, Charlie Simpson and, most recently, Danny Jones.

Rita, 33, joined the Masked Singer US in September last year to take over from Nicole Scherzinger who was busy with the West End adaptation of Sunset Boulevard. The 11th season crowned Vanessa Hudgens as its victor.

But with Rita bidding adieu, her replacement is hotly tipped to be TV personality Maya, 29, who is best known for guiding hot Island-bound singles onto the path of true love.

‘This is a huge deal for Maya, who’s now one of telly’s fastest-rising stars. It puts her in front of a huge Saturday night audience every week on a show watched by everyone from kids to pensioners,’ a TV insider told the Sun.

Rita Ora has been on Masked Singer UK since the start and recently joined the US version (Picture: Getty/ Fox)

Love Island star is set to take her career to the next level as the new judge (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘Up to now she’s had a following which is very young due to Love Island, but signing for The Masked Singer would take her career into a whole new league.’

As for Rita, according to a source close to the singer – who is married to Hollywood director Taika Waititi – she has a ‘huge film commitment’ coming up this year making her schedule difficult.

In previous seasons, the booked and busy star has regularly been replaced by guest panellists for episodes she cannot attend.

When she joined the US show, which airs on Fox, last year she spoke about her excitement. She was joined by co-stars Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Ken Jeong.

‘I just felt like a 100% [yes], because I already knew the show so well, and I just love it and I love the excitement of it,’ she told EW at the time.

When asked if she would return beyond this season she added she ‘would love’ to.

The singer has said she would love to return to the US show, but has filming conflicts coming up (Picture: Vincent Dolman/REX/Shutterstock)

Maya is hosting the current season of Love Island and could appear on Masked Singer by January next year (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘I’ve had such a great experience, and yeah, who knows? I’m really grateful that they have me on the show. I love it. It’s so fun.’

The music artist recently made headlines after making a viral performance at Mighty Hoopla, with fans labelling it one of the ‘most embarrassing things [they’ve] ever seen’.

This was after she attempted to get someone in the crowd to sing along to her song Anywhere with failed results.

As for Maya, the Masked Singer gig is not the only one she is rumoured to take up.

Recent betting odds revealed she is also in the running to become the next Bond girl in the upcoming film. She is in the pool alongside Hollywood stars Florence Pugh, Michelle Keegan and Rachel Zegler.

ITV declined to comment to Metro.co.uk.

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