Amidst reports that Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson have broken up after five years together, fans were quick to comment on their 'awkward' pre-recorded stint on Saturday's episode of Michael McIntyre's Big Show. In fact, Zara commented on the episode herself from the comfort of her brother's flat, which she has reportedly moved into following the break up.
During the episode, host Michael McIntyre breaks into Sam and Zara's Chelsea home to film his infamous Midnight Gameshow skit where he surprises celebrity guests while they are sleeping. In Sam and Zara's case, the comedian faced the obstacle of their locked bedroom door. 'I am not joking when I say, we thought that it was a burglar, we thought we were being robbed,' Zara posted on her Instagram story. As Michael shouted 'housekeeping' through the door she added, 'This was the scariest thing in my life!'.
The clip also showed Sam sending Zara to open the door when he thought it was a burglar. 'Did Sam and Zara split up because she had to be the one who went to see what was going on when they thought they were being burgled?' asked one X user. 'I like how Sam Thompson thought he was getting burgled and sent Zara to open the door,' reads another post.
It is thought that the scene was filmed shortly before the reality star couple, who started dating in 2019, broke up. During their joint appearance, a host of other guests joined Michael in their bedroom, including the Celebrity SAS star Jason Fox who asked Sam questions about his relationship with Zara while he was holding weights.
In the 'awkward' scene, Sam failed to remember what the former Love Island star had bought him over the years and Jason asked, 'Do you actually love her?'. It then cut back to Zara and Sam laughing about the whole encounter in the studio, looking their usual happy selves.
Given the awkward timing, a source told The Sun: 'Zara and Sam were really happy and in love when they agreed to take part in the Midnight Gameshow.'
News of their split was first reported in December after the couple, who used to regularly post each other on social media, spent the festive period apart. Sam has since talked about the 'real tough month' he's had on his Staying Relevant podcast with Pete Wicks.
While Sam and Zara have not confirmed the split themselves, they have not denied it either. There are several theories about why they might have broken up, ranging from their diverging careers to unresolved issues from the early days of their relationship to being on different pages when it comes to starting a family.
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).