'Heartbreaking': Maya Jama calls off engagement with Ben Simmons after a year, claims source
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Former BBC Radio 1 presenter Maya Jama said "yes" and got engaged to the NBA player Ben Simmons in December 2021m when he popped the question during the holiday season. Maya, 27, quickly relocated to the United States, where the basketball star, 26, is based and has since split up her time between the United Kingdom and the United States.
Since then, the TV presenter tweeted, "Stop believing "sources" in papers, plz." An insider previously claimed, "Maya called off the engagement after things came to a head last month."
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Maya Jama returned to the UK recently to attend the GRM Gala, where she was seen sporting her large diamond engagement ring, but the sources claimed the couple's whirlwind year-long romance has come to an end. "She is not going back to New York now. It’s heartbreaking for both of them, especially as they were so committed to each other," the insider source added. "Maya has a bright future ahead of her with job offers coming in all over the world and is feeling positive. She has been hitting the gym a lot and spending time with her good friends," they further added to The Sun on Sunday.
Maya was seen wearing a ring on her left hand in a recent Instagram story over the weekend, but it didn't appear to be the engagement ring Simmons had given her.
The couple made their relationship public when they were photographed kissing in the stands at Wimbledon in July 2021. The couple sparked romance rumors weeks before when they were spotted on a date at SexyFish in central London. A source revealed in December 2021 that the two were engaged following Ben's romantic Christmas proposal.
They revealed at the time, "Ben adores Maya and has fallen head over heels for her. He picked up the ring on Jewellers’ Row in the diamond district of Philadelphia the day before he proposed…He chose the ring himself and felt he knew exactly what she would want. Maya said yes and they’re both thrilled."
Soon after, Maya was spotted in New York City with Ben, a Brooklyn Nets player, wearing the enormous engagement ring.
The couple did not discuss their relationship or engagement with the media, and Maya didn't comment on the proposal when comedian Mo Gilligan questioned her while the two of them were hosting the Brit Awards in February 2022.
Maya attended the annual GRM Gala at Kensington Palace recently, along with a slew of other celebrities, and posed for red carpet photos while wearing her engagement ring. Ben dated Kendall Jenner before he and Maya fell in love, while Maya was dating dated Stormzy previously.