Maya set to give show a makeover
Calling all beauty fans – make-up contest Glow Up is back for its third run and judges Val Garland and Dominic Skinner say the quality has never been higher.
And they’ll be joined by a new host in the form of True Love Or True Lies presenter Maya Jama, who replaces Stacey Dooley.
The 26-year-old said: “I know I’ve got massive boots to fill. I love Stacey. She’s my mate, so all props to Stace. We’re different people, so of course it’s going to be different.
“I wanted to bring some new energy and a relatable, friendly vibe to it. My goal was to get to know the MUAs (make-up artists) more and help them come out of their shells. Plus, we all know I’m not that serious, so rest assured, there will be some silliness.”
The first episode kicks off with 10 aspiring make-up artists thrown in at the deep end, making over a model for high-street giant Superdrug. The winner will have their look displayed nationwide – so a lot is riding on it.
With award-winning beauty journalist Ateh Jewel on hand to help as a guest judge, Val and Dom decide who wins the commission and who’s in danger of leaving.
“Seeing the MUAs win challenges like that was a big highlight for me,” Maya said. “They were being put in real jobs in an industry they’re desperate to break into. You can’t put a price on that. It’s like being given a golden ticket, so seeing how happy they were when they won those challenges was amazing.”
Each episode will see the contestants set a real-world professional assignment, then a creative brief at Glow Up HQ. The bottom two hopefuls are then tasked with an elimination face-off.
With so much at stake, it’s safe to say viewers can expect contagious highs, heartbreaking lows and everything in between.
Even Maya admits she got emotional. She said: “I didn’t think I was gonna cry! When I got the job, there was nothing in the back of my mind that made me think I’d get emotional during this but I was in tears on day one. I don’t know how much they’re going to put in but we had a few breakdowns. There were quite a lot of tears.”