My London: Maya Jama

The DJ and presenter enjoys a drink at The Prince in Fulham, dines at Sexy Fish as a treat and loves to party at The Box 
Dave Benett/Getty Images
Hamish MacBain24 January 2019

Home is…

Deep south-west London, with my boyfriend [Stormzy]. We’ve only been there about five months.

I’ve always lived in the city — Ladbroke Grove, Queen’s Park, Fulham — so this is the furthest out I’ve ever lived. I prefer it, it’s so calmA nd we’ve got a dog now, Enzo, so it’s nice to have places to walk.

Favourite pub?

The Prince in Fulham, which is right by my old house. From the front it looks like it’s going to be a small, casual pub, but then it’s got this massive indoor garden with flowers on the ceiling.

The Prince pub in Fulham

Favourite hotel?

The Curtain. It’s proper snazzy, but it’s also got an arty vibe and I love the decor. It made me feel posh!

Justine Trickett

Where do you work out?

Outdoors. I’m super lucky, because I’ve got a personal trainer, so mostly in my garden. But even before I had a trainer or a garden, it would be in the parks. I find no one watches you outside, whereas in the gym everyone’s staring.

Where would you like to be buried?

I’d like to be cremated, but I wouldn’t want to be thrown in the Thames. Maybe in a park — then they could put tree seeds in with me, so I could grow through a tree. I like that idea.

Best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?

I told one of them the other day that I’m half Somali and he went: ‘Oh, there’s this other half Somali girl that’s on telly sometimes, she’s called Maya.’ I was like, ‘Maya Jama?’ and he goes, ‘Yeah’. Then he didn’t believe it was me.

Favourite restaurant?

Sexy Fish. But that’s like a treat for birthdays and special occasions.

(John Carey )
John Carey

What do you collect?

Photos. Actual physical photos. I’ve got loads from the past year in a drawer. I’ve just got a proper camera with film, but before that I used to get those £2 disposable cameras.

Favourite club?

The Box in Soho. It’s mental, but it’s the most fun. I brought my friends from Bristol there and they couldn’t believe it was real.

If you could buy any London building, what would it be?

The Shard. I’d turn it into a massive entertainment centre: production company on one floor, then a spa, casino and a rave on the top floor.

View of The Shard's viewing platform
Getty Images

What are you up to at the moment?

My Radio 1 show, loving that I’m now doing Fridays and Saturdays: proper little weekend DJ.

And I’ve just become an ambassador for Savera, the domestic violence charity. I’m starting to plan a school tour, where I and other people with the charity will go to schools and do some talks on our experiences.

Maya Jama has just finished working on her second collection for Pretty Little Thing (Adam Rindy )
Adam Rindy

Who is your hero?

Has to be my mum. She was a single mum, raised me and my brother, and we came out all right. And then she went back to uni after having us while working like a million jobs at once; being a cleaner, working in food shops.

Now she’s got a degree and a really good job. So she’s my hero.

What makes someone a Londoner?

Gift of the gab. And being a dream chaser.

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