By now, Zara McDermott is a pretty recognisable face. With a stint on Strictly Come Dancing, several documentaries under her belt as well as appearances on Love Island, Made in Chelsea, The X Factor: Celebrity and Celebs Go Dating, she's a familiar face on our screens.
Early this year, Zara and Sam Thompson announced their split. Since, she been dating Louis Tomlinson - with the pair appearing to go from strength to strength. The pair made their relationship Instagram official in a smitten picture this week, which Zara shared on her Instagram. The photo shows the couple packing on the PDA with an adorable kiss, while Louis holds the camera.
With 2 million followers on Instagram and 673k followers on TikTok, Zara has built up a strong following since her TV debut on Love Island in 2018. Since then, her career has gone from strength to strength and she continues to bring her fans along for the ride.
Who is Zara McDermott?
Zara is a 28-year-old reality TV star, model and documentary maker. She currently works with BBC Three as a documentary maker and has presented The Idaho Murders (2024), Revenge Porn (2021), Uncovering Rape Culture (2021) and Disordered Eating (2022) based on her own experiences, as well as Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge (2023) and Inside Ibiza (2024). And in 2022, she presented the dating series Love in the Flesh on BBC Three.
What reality shows has Zara McDermott appeared on?
Zara shot to fame after appearing as a contestant on Love Island in 2018. She has also had stints on The X Factor: Celebrity in 2019, Made in Chelsea 2019-2020 and Strictly Come Dancing in 2023, where she was partnered with Graziano Di Prima.
What did Zara McDermott do before Love Island?
Before Love Island, Zara worked for the Department of Education under Damian Hinds. She famously didn't tell her government bosses that she was leaving to go on Love Island, opting for a more euphemistic explanation that she was taking a 'career break'. Iconic.
When did Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson split up?
Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott dated for five years from early 2019 to December 2024. Rumours started circulating that the pair were going their separate ways in December, with a source telling the MailOnline in January:
'Sam and Zara have ended their relationship. It's been an incredibly difficult decision for them to part ways, they still care and have a lot of love for each other. But after a tough year of working hard at their romance, they have split and will be focusing on their individual careers going forward into 2025.'
Sam broke his silence on the split in January on his Staying Relevant podcast with Pete Wicks. He admitted to ‘going through some stuff.' When asked by the Strictly star what had been going on, Sam replied, ‘It was tough. It’s been a tough month. A real tough month.’
When did Zara McDermott start dating Louis Tomlinson?
In March, social media users started speculating Zara was romantically linked to 33-year-old Louis Tomlinson, after spotting a series of online 'clues' hinting at a relationship. Shortly after, the pair were spotted dining in Fishers, a restaurant attached to the hotel The Suffolk.
Although the most recent picture of Louis and Zara is definitely a hard launch, they soft-launched the relationship in June, when they stepped out in public at Glastonbury with their friends.
How tall is Zara McDermott?
Zara McDermott is 1.70m tall, or 5′ 7″. This makes her around the same height as Louis - according to reports, he stands at 5'7".
Does Zara McDermott have Instagram?
Yes! You can follow Zara at zara_mcdermott.
Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.