When newly single Zara McDermott was pictured out for dinner with Louis Tomlinson earlier this week, it all but confirmed that they are dating – at least on the internet. Even if the ‘hard evidence’ is one series of long lens paparazzi photos taken through a restaurant window in Suffolk. And the fact they both follow each other on Instagram.
Until December, Zara was in a relationship with former Made in Chelsea star, Sam Thompson, who she also lived with. The pair were together from 2019 to 2024, briefly breaking up in 2019 after Zara admitted to cheating on Sam during her stint on The X Factor: Celebrity.
The former couple was known for being *very online*, often sharing comedy skits and doting captions about each other on social media. So, for fans, Sam and Zara's split came as a shock, as did the fact neither of them broke or confirmed the news themselves. Save for a few ‘newly single’ TikToks from Sam and cryptic podcast conversations, they have both quietly moved on without offering fans any of the details.
The news that Zara is dating the former One Direction singer three months later, then, have caused a stir on social media. It's unclear how they first met, but some fans think it may have been through Louis' sisters who are documentary makers like Zara. Apparently on their recent date, they tucked into ‘£100 fish and chips plus cocktails’ at the Suffolk hotel where they spent the night and then both left separately in the morning.
Now ‘a friend’ of Zara’s has told Mail Online that she is ‘so happy’. Adding, ‘It’s early days with her and Louis but everything is going well between them. News of their romance leaked sooner than they intended – the plan was to keep things private for as long as possible.’
‘Zara is enjoying being wined and dined and experiencing the thrill of dating someone new again,’ they added. ‘She had been with Sam for years and in the end their relationship became transactional… they had lost their sparkle. Louis has certainly put a smile back on her face.’
Aside from feverish One Direction fans and former Sam and Zara stans offering their takes online, the new pairing has piqued interest because Sam and Louis are set to meet for Soccer Aid in June. They will both play in the England squad in the charity match against the Rest of the World side.
Even so, another source says there are no hard feelings on Sam’s part. ‘As for as he’s concerned, Louis is Zara’s new man, and he’s just got to accept it. He’s a positive guy and will just move on from this, throwing himself into work and getting stuck into the exciting projects he’s got coming up.’
‘Obviously he was sad when their relationship broke up and, like anyone, when your ex moves so quickly it’s tough,' the insider added. 'And if he was both angry and devastated, that would be understandable. But he’s not sitting around wallowing in self-pity.’
Sam might be putting on a brave face, but he did appear to make a subtle dig about Zara's new romance on the latest episode of his Staying Relevant podcast with Pete Wicks. Celebs Go Dating coach Paul Brunson asked, ‘What are you doing Sam, to self-love?’ and Sam replied, ‘Not much to be honest with you. I suppose a lot of people look for validation in other people right? And they look for the next person instantly because it’s like “I need to find someone else to fill that hole and I need to find that excitement”.
‘You know when you get that excited feeling when you are talking to someone new and fresh. I can’t do that.’
For now, creepy paparazzi pictures and cryptic podcast episodes are all we have to work with, but it looks like 'Zouis' is the new couple to have on your radar.
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across pop culture, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things TV for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow shows with equal respect).