Meghan Markle may be preparing for a return to acting, but a rising British TV powerhouse could complicate her Hollywood comeback.

The Duchess of Sussex is reportedly worried that Love Island host Maya Jama could steal some of the attention surrounding her possible return to scripted television after Jama landed a role in Guy Ritchie’s hit Netflix series The Gentlemen.

Markle, 45, has reportedly been linked to the third season of the crime drama as she and Prince Harry, 41, spend more time in Britain with their children.

However, subsequent reports claimed that a potential role for the former Suits star may have been pulled following backlash, and there has been no confirmation that Markle ever signed a contract.

Meanwhile, Jama, 32, is officially moving into the acting world.

The popular British presenter will play Aisha when the second season of The Gentlemen arrives September 3, putting her alongside stars including Theo James, Kaya Scodelario and Ray Winstone.

According to one source quoted by RadarOnline, the timing has allegedly caused concern for Markle.

“The timing isn’t ideal for Meghan,” the source claimed, adding that The Gentlemen would have provided the Duchess with a massive platform for her return to acting.

The insider alleged that Jama’s arrival on the series — and the buzz surrounding her jump from television hosting to acting — could potentially overshadow whatever attention Markle hoped to receive from her own comeback.

Jama’s role is no small cameo.

She plays the wife of a criminal associate connected to Theo James’ character, Eddie Horniman, giving the Love Island personality a potentially major opportunity to introduce herself to an international streaming audience.

Jama has admitted she has wanted to try acting for years but wanted to make sure she was prepared before taking the plunge.

After auditioning for The Gentlemen, she reportedly worked with a drama coach and learned she had landed the role less than two weeks later.

“I never want to do something and be s— at it,” Jama told Variety while discussing her move into acting.

For Markle, the situation comes at a particularly interesting time.

Before marrying into the Royal Family, she was best known for playing paralegal Rachel Zane on the legal drama Suits for seven seasons.

She left the show in 2017 ahead of her marriage to Prince Harry and stepped away from conventional acting while serving as a working royal.

Her earlier Hollywood credits included CSI: NY, Horrible Bosses and Remember Me.

After roughly eight years away from traditional acting roles, Markle recently dipped her toe back into the entertainment world by filming a cameo as herself in the Amazon MGM comedy Close Personal Friends.

The movie features a star-studded cast that includes Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding.

That appearance was widely seen as a cautious first step toward putting Markle back in front of the camera.

But a full-fledged dramatic role would put her under much greater scrutiny.

Another insider claimed Markle would face questions about whether audiences can once again see her as an actress rather than primarily as the Duchess of Sussex.

That is where Jama could become unexpected competition.

Already one of Britain’s most recognizable television personalities, Jama has steadily built a career that stretches far beyond Love Island.

Born in Bristol in 1994, she moved to London as a teenager to pursue a career in entertainment. She eventually landed presenting jobs with MTV and BBC Radio 1 before becoming a familiar face on shows including The Circle and Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star.

She took over as host of Love Island in 2023 and later joined the judging panel of The Masked Singer.

Jama has also expanded into fashion, beauty and business ventures, including her MIJ Masks skincare brand.

Now acting could become the next major chapter of her career.

Markle, meanwhile, continues juggling multiple projects through Archewell Productions and her lifestyle brand As Ever while reportedly exploring new opportunities in entertainment.

Whether she actually joins The Gentlemen remains uncertain.

But if Markle does make a major acting comeback, she may find herself sharing the spotlight with one of Britain’s fastest-rising entertainment stars — and Jama already has a major head start.