They may have managed to keep their murderous alliance hidden from the rest of the castle, but Maya Jama and King Kenny appear to be struggling to conceal a very different kind of connection.
The pair’s apparent flirtation on Celebrity Traitors has sparked growing speculation, with viewers pointing to lingering looks, warm embraces and one particularly revealing declaration.
Kenny, 29, was travelling to last Friday’s mission alongside Romesh Ranganathan, 48, and Sebastian ‘Bash’ Croft, 24, when he considered the possibility that Maya, 32, could be deceiving him.
Still pretending to be a Faithful, the YouTube star said: ‘If Maya is a Traitor, I will never look at her in the same way.’
Romesh was quick to challenge him, replying: ‘Well, first of all, I don’t believe that for a second.’
The comment prompted laughter from all three men and hinted that audiences may not be the only ones to have noticed the growing bond between Maya and Kenny.
Kenny did little to quiet the rumours later in the episode, when the contestants were paired up for the ‘field of screams’ mission.
Maya Jama and King Kenny appear to be finding it difficult to hide their apparent flirtation on Celebrity Traitors
The speculation follows the Mail’s revelation that Ms Jama entered the castle single after her relationship with Manchester City footballer Ruben Dias, 29, ended
When Maya selected him as her partner, Kenny responded affectionately: ‘My lovely darling.’
Their exchanges have since prompted a wave of online speculation, with fans creating edits of the pair’s most talked-about moments, from prolonged eye contact and playful touches to their regular embraces around the castle.
Their most openly affectionate moment came after Maya and James Acaster, 41, asked Kenny to join them as a Traitor.
Once he accepted, Kenny briefly held Maya’s arm before drawing her into a close hug. His greeting for James, by comparison, appeared considerably more restrained.
Since then, Maya and Kenny have operated as a powerful team in the turret, while continuing to act during the day as though they are simply fellow Faithfuls.
Their double act became even more convincing during Friday’s mission, when the other celebrities selected Maya, Kenny and James as the three contestants they trusted most.
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Given the private choice of deciding which member of the trio would receive a dagger carrying a double vote, they chose to give the advantage to Kenny.
That decision gave him the power to determine whether Irish comedian Joanne McNally, 43, or Scottish actress Sharon Rooney, 38, would be banished after the Round Table vote ended in a split between the two women.
Maya and Kenny have not indicated that their connection is anything more than friendship.
However, the speculation follows The Mail on Sunday’s report that Maya entered the castle newly single after ending her 18-month relationship with Manchester City footballer Ruben Dias, 29.
The couple are understood to have parted amicably shortly before filming began, with sources saying the programme had ‘put a smile back on’ Maya’s face.
One source said: ‘Filming Celebrity Traitors came at the perfect time for Maya.
‘While her split from Ruben was amicable, there was still a lot of love between them, so it was tough. At the time, they had a shared home but being away meant she could escape it all.
‘Throwing herself into work was the perfect distraction.’
Neither Ms Jama nor Kenny has suggested that their relationship extends beyond friendship
Maya previously dated rapper Stormzy, 33, for four years before they separated in 2019. The couple rekindled their romance in 2023 but announced the following year that they had parted again.
Kenny, aka Kenny Oghenovo Ojuederie, has said little publicly about his dating history.
But he has been rather less discreet about his partnership with Maya inside the castle.
In a new single released on Friday, entitled Don’t Let Me Down, he sings: ‘Murdering in plain sight, it’s me and you they’re calling.’
Whether the words were aimed at one Traitor in particular, he has left listeners to decide.