Zara McDermott And Louis Tomlinson Spark Dating Rumours After Dinner Outing
Louis Tomlinson appears to have a new romantic connection. In March 2025, The Sun fueled dating rumours when it ran photos of the former One Direction singer having dinner with British reality star and documentary filmmaker Zara McDermott at a Suffolk hotel. Sources told the British tabloid that the pair had been seen on 'a handful of low-key dates over the past few weeks.'
Neither Tomlinson nor McDermott has publicly confirmed their relationship.
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McDermott first rose to fame as a contestant on Love Island UK in 2018, but she has since transitioned into a career in television presenting and documentary filmmaking. Below, everything we know about her background, career, and connection to Tomlinson.
She and Tomlinson were first romantically linked in March 2025.
Speculation about McDermott and Tomlinson’s relationship began in early March after fans noticed that Tomlinson’s sisters Lottie, Daisy, and Phoebe had followed McDermott on Instagram. McDermott follows them as well, along with Tomlinson, who follows her back. He liked a post she shared on March 1:
More evidence of the pair’s potential romantic connection came out days later. On March 17, The Sun ran photos of the rumoured couple at a Suffolk hotel. They had dinner there, with an eyewitness telling the outlet, 'Louis and Zara were having a great time. They were touching hands over the table and looked so happy and relaxed.'
A source claimed that Tomlinson had taken her there for a getaway, during which 'he absolutely charmed her. It’s clear he thinks she’s drop-dead gorgeous too. Louis is a proper gentleman so this trip was something he planned and put on for Zara. He was really thoughtful and wanted to make it special.'
As of March 2025, Tomlinson and McDermott are reportedly taking things slow.
A source claimed to The Sun that while the two stars see potential in their connection, they are not rushing into anything. 'They share the same values and are both incredibly close with their families,' the insider began, adding, 'For now they’re taking things slowly and enjoying each other’s company to see where it takes them.'
McDermott was a contestant on Love Island in 2018.
McDermott made her reality TV debut on season 4 of Love Island, entering the villa as a 'bombshell' contestant. She coupled up with fellow contestant Adam Collard but was eliminated from the show 10 days later.
She has built her career as a documentary filmmaker and TV presenter.
After appearing on Love Island, McDermott made a pivot in her career. She now works in television presenting and documentary work, primarily with BBC Three. She has produced and hosted a number of investigative documentaries, tackling topics such as rape culture and disorder eating.
In 2021, McDermott released a BBC Three Revenge Porn documentary, where she opened up about her personal experience of having intimate images shared without her consent.
McDermott has since produced several additional documentaries, including Disordered Eating (exploring the rise of eating disorders among young people), Uncovering Rape Culture (investigating sexism in U.K. schools), and The Idaho Murders: Trial by TikTok (examining social media’s impact on high-profile criminal cases).
On Instagram, she hinted her next documentary would cover stalking. On March 17, she wrote, 'It’s our final week of filming for my documentary about stalking, and honestly it’s been one of the most eye opening, emotional films I’ve ever made. I’ve learnt so much about the strength of victims / survivors through this process… some of these women are the strongest I’ve ever met. Stalking is one of the most isolating crimes out there.'
She competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023.
In 2023, McDermott participated in the U.K.’s Strictly Come Dancing, a British television show similar to Dancing with the Stars. Partnered with professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, she was ultimately eliminated from the competition. Following the season, McDermott spoke publicly about her training experience, revealing that she found certain aspects of the process 'distressing.'
She is an ambassador for Refuge, a U.K. domestic abuse charity.
In 2024, McDermott became an ambassador for U.K. domestic abuse organisation Refuge. She has worked with the organisation for years, notably collaborating on its 2020 Naked Threat campaign. The project led the U.K. government to criminalise threats to share someone’s intimate photos.
Speaking about her role as an ambassador, McDermott said, 'Using my platform to advocate against abuse has been incredibly important to me throughout my career, so I am thrilled to be joining Refuge as an ambassador.'
She added, 'Since sharing my experiences of intimate image abuse, I have been taken aback by the sheer scale of this horrific form of abuse, with many survivors sharing their own stories with me. Alongside Refuge, I will continue striving to shed light on the realities of domestic abuse and show survivors that they are not alone.'
During Refuge’s 50th anniversary event at Clarence House in January 2022, McDermott joined other advocates and public figures, including Queen Camilla, to mark the milestone.
During a March 6, 2025 interview with Loose Women, McDermott emphasised the importance of recognising red flags in relationships, saying, 'Nowadays, especially with social media, looking at things like "Oh, he wants me to share my location with him all the time," "He wants me to put a tracker on my car" — that is actually really common.'
McDermott is also a fashion entrepreneur.
Beyond her work in television, McDermott has also ventured into fashion. In 2024, she launched Rise, a casual womenswear brand, which initially debuted at Tesco’s F&F Clothing in April before expanding into an elevated loungewear and athleisure line called Rise Black Label, sold at New Look.
She was previously in a long-term relationship with Sam Thompson.
Before being linked to Tomlinson, McDermott was in a five-year relationship with British reality star Sam Thompson, best known for Made in Chelsea. The couple’s relationship was documented on the show, including a highly publicised breakup in 2020 following McDermott’s admission of infidelity during her time on The X Factor: Celebrity. They reconciled shortly after but ultimately split in December 2024.
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