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According to The Sun, reality star Zara McDermott was spotted on an outing with former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson at a hotel in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. However, it cannot be confirmed whether the two are dating, as of now.
Love Island and Strictly contestant Zara McDermott was previously dating I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner Sam Thompson from 2019 to 2024. Although the couple did not publically announce their split, the media outlet speculated they allegedly broke up in December 2024.
According to DailyMail's report, Sam Thompson seemingly hinted at his breakup in his podcast Staying Relevant. In the March 17 episode, when his podcast guest, dating coach Paul Brunson asked him how he was doing, Thompson replied that he couldn't move on from relationships instantly. He said,
"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."
Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott's relationship timeline
In May 2019, Sam Thompson gave an interview to OK Magazine, officially announcing that he and Zara McDermott were dating. He revealed that McDermott was the one who made the initial move. He said,
"She slid into my DMs. It was great, and I’m glad she did."
Thompson shared that he had no plans to rush the relationship. Calling Zara McDermott a lovely girl, he said people make mistakes when they rush things. He shared,
"Do you know what, I don’t want to say too much, but we’ve been on a few dates, it’s been a few weeks now. We’re not exclusive because everyone in this game rushes everything! There’s no need to. If you rush into things, sometimes you make a mistake, and it gets too intense… she’s a really, really lovely girl, and she’s incredibly beautiful."
Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott appeared on the reality TV show Made in Chelsea together. According to Yahoo News, the couple broke up in 2020 after rumors spread that McDermott cheated while filming for X Factor: Celebrity in 2019. McDermott confirmed the rumor after she penned a now-deleted apology on Instagram in October 2020.
McDermott apologized for being unfaithful by calling herself "selfish and immature." She said she doesn't condone such behavior and wants to face it head-on. She wrote,
"Hey everyone, I just wanted to address the recent speculation in the media. A huge mistake I made a year ago has recently come to light and I want to face this head on. I don't condone being unfaithful and I made a huge mistake at a time in my life where I was hugely selfish and immature."
She continued,
"I believe I have learnt so much from my mistake. I want to apologise to my Sam for everything I have put him through, for the pain, the embarrassment, the anger and the hurt. All I want to do is make this right and I think the least he deserves is me being honest with myself and all of you. I love you Sam, forever."
On December 4, 2020, Sam Thompson gave an exclusive interview with DailyMail and announced that he and Zara McDermott have reconciled. He told the media outlet that he forgave her and plans to move forward. He added,
"I believe in forgiveness. I understand the context, and I think in any walk of life you can't move forward unless you forgive. Forgiveness allows you to heal. You can only heal when you forgive the other person and get over that. I would definitely say no matter what you should always try to forgive and you'll feel better in yourself, it's f*cking easier said than done but you've got to strive for that."
The Sun reported the couple allegedly broke up in December 2024.
Sam Thompson's podcast, Staying Relevant, is available for streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
