Titled a documentary maker on Strictly Come Dancing, you probably also recognise Zara McDermott from her stints on Love Island, Made in Chelsea, The X Factor: Celebrity and Celebs Go Dating, as well as her relationship with former MIC star Sam Thompson.
With 1.8 million followers on Instagram and 502.6k 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 26-year-old reality TV star, model and documentary maker. She even once wrote her very own column for Grazia. If you want to read more from her, including the piece where she told Grazia that she turns down 60% of the #sponcon deals she's offered, you can find them here.
She currently works with BBC Three as a documentary maker and has presented 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.
Where do I know her from?
She was on Love Island 2018, The X Factor: Celebrity in 2019 and Made in Chelsea 2019-2020. And she's currently on the 21st series of Strictly Come Dancing.
You may also know her from social media, as Zara and her boyfriend Sam Thompson frequently post videos together. They also had an iconic break up on Made in Chelsea where Zara shouted 'you CAAAN' on a park bench when Sam said he didn't know whether he could forgive her for cheating.
What did she 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.
Zara McDermott on Strictly Come Dancing
In August, it was announced that Zara would be joining this year's line-up for S_trictly Come Dancing_. She has been partnered up with Graziano Di Prima and is yet to reach the top of the leader board – but there's still time!
Are Zara McDermott and Graziano dating?
Zara has spoken about her gruelling Strictly schedule, which has meant a lot of intense training with her partner. She said, 'We did 11 hours last week, 8-7 pm and we really didn't stop. Sam does his radio show every evening so when I come home from training, he's at work so I rehearse on my own or use one of the cats.'
But Zara insists the pair are just great friends and that they feel like family. 'We’re talking to Giada all through the day as well, we video call her. The other day, Graziano texted, ‘Where are you?’ and I was like, I’m on the phone to Giada - soz!' she joked.
'We are part of each other’s families and each other’s lives, and I think we will be for the foreseeable. You build such a close bond and partnership, you get to know each other so quickly that it’s like a really unbreakable bond.'
Is Zara McDermott in a relationship?
Zara is still loved up with Sam Thompson – the pair have been together since early 2019 with some bumps along the way. They live together in London and frequently work together on brand collaborations on social media.
Sam has been to watch Zara dance on Strictly with his friend and former TOWIE star Pete Wickes, and has even had t-shirts of Zara's face made to show his support.