Maya Jama has reportedly been sent a legal letter demanding she return the £800,000 engagement ring her ex-fiance Ben Simmons gave her last year.

The new Love Island host, 28, and the basketball player, 26, split last summer after a whirlwind romance so that they could both focus on their careers.

Ben proposed to Maya over Christmas in 2021 following a whirlwind seven-month romance after she spent the festive period at his £3.7million mansion in New Jersey.

But now Ben has asked for the pricey jewellery back after their failed romance.  

A source told The Sun: 'Given Ben has never, until now, asked for the ring back, you can appreciate the letter came somewhat as a surprise to Maya.

'Ben was really shocked when she left and didn't give him the ring back. 

'He was madly in love with her and thought it was forever so was really p***ed she didn't give it back. It cost around $1million and they were engaged less than a year.' 

A representative told MailOnline: 'Maya received a request from Ben's representatives on Friday afternoon, asking her to return the engagement ring that he gave her as a gift last year.

'This was the first time that she has been asked by Ben to return it and, for the avoidance of any doubt, she has never refused to return it.

'Maya is making arrangements to return the ring to Ben and wishes him all the best.' 

The pair had a long-distance relationship, with the beauty often travelling back and forth to America, where he plays basketball for the Brooklyn Nets.

Experts valued Maya's emerald-cut diamond engagement ring at £800k.

Maya and Ben were first romantically linked in June 2021 after they were seen on a night out together at restaurant Sexy Fish in London's Mayfair.

The couple went public while kissing in the stands at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in front of the world's media the following month.

A source said after their engagement: '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.' 

The pair enjoyed a trip to Turks And Caicos last June with a group of friends.

Maya appeared in a sweet photo from the holiday with her beau with a pal capturing the love birds sitting on a beach deep in conversation.

And in July they were spotted on holiday in Las Vegas together.  

Ben previously dated Kendall Jenner, 26, but the pair called things off in May 2019 after months of dating on-and-off.

Maya, meanwhile, dated rapper Stormzy for four years, with the pair splitting the same year - ending their relationship in order to focus on their careers instead.

However, the pair were spotted looking cosy together in the smoking area at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2021.  

The two stars had been one of the most popular couple in showbiz prior to their shock split, with the stunning presenter moving out of their shared home shortly after her 25th birthday celebrations.

Stormzy seemed to address rumours he had strayed in his subsequent music releases - with his song Lessons said to be about the heartbreaking split and lyrics confessing that he had 'done the dirt' on the TV star. 

However, the award-winning musician later revealed he hadn't been unfaithful throughout his relationship but instead, admitted to showing 'disrespect' to his famous ex.

'If there was a box of what a good woman is, she ticks every one, she's amazing. But I didn't cheat on her. I actually didn't cheat,' he told HOT 97 at the start of 2020.

'Don't get it twisted, I'm still definitely an a***hole. 100%, that's a fact. I'm an a***hole.

'But I thought now was a good time to say that I didn't cheat on my ex.'