Louis Tomlinson and Zara McDermott have been dating for almost a year.
In March 2025, The Sun fueled dating rumors by publishing photos of the former One Direction singer having dinner with the British reality star and documentary filmmaker at a hotel in Suffolk. A source told the British tabloid that the pair had been on “a few low-key dates in recent weeks.”
Tomlinson and McDermott teased spending time together on Instagram in April 2025. In August, McDermott became Instagram official alongside Tomlinson.
McDermott first rose to fame in 2018 as a contestant on Love Island UK, but has since moved on to a career in TV presenting and documentary filmmaking. Below is everything we know about her biography, career, and relationship with Tomlinson.
She and Tomlinson first became romantically involved 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 were following McDermott on Instagram. McDermott follows them and Tomlinson follows her. He liked a post she shared on March 1st.
As of March 18, 2025, Zara McDermott follows Lou Tomlinson
As of March 18, 2025, Lou Tomlinson follows Zara McDermott.
Louis Tomlinson likes Zara McDermott’s Instagram on March 1st
Days later, further evidence of a potential romantic relationship between the two emerged. On March 17, The Sun published a photo of the rumored couple at a hotel in Suffolk. The pair had dinner there, and an eyewitness told the magazine: “Louis and Zara were having a great time. They were touching each other at the table and looked very happy and relaxed.”
A source claimed that Tomlinson took her on a holiday, saying: “He completely charmed her. He clearly thinks she’s drop dead gorgeous too. Louis is a true gentleman so this trip was planned by Tomlinson and for Zara. He was really thoughtful and wanted it to be special.”
As of March 2025, Tomlinson and McDermott’s efforts are reportedly slow.
A source told The Sun newspaper that the two stars see potential in a connection but insist they are in no rush to do anything. “They share the same values and are incredibly close to their families,” the source began, adding, “For now, they are taking things slow, enjoying each other’s company and seeing what direction they take.”
Tomlinson and McDermott soft-launched their relationship on Instagram in April 2025.
Fans noticed that Tomlinson and McDermott revealed on April 8 that they went on a date in Los Angeles via their Instagram stories. Tomlinson and McDermott posted videos of the Stereophonics show at The Wiltern at the same time and from the same vantage point.
The couple was photographed kissing on April 15, 2025.
Tomlinson and McDermott’s romance got off to a rocky start on April 15th. Paparazzi captured photos of the two kissing and holding hands after a lunch date in Los Angeles. See photos here.
McDermott and Tomlinson announced their relationship in August 2025.
On August 5, McDermott made their relationship official by posting a photo of him kissing Tomlinson on Instagram. This post marked their first appearance on her grid as a couple. Tomlinson commented on the post: “I love you.”
Mr McDermott thanked Mr Tomlinson for the “best birthday ever” in December 2025.
The British reality star posted a new look at her and Tomlinson in her birthday post, acknowledging how Tomlinson made her day. “Best birthday ever with you ❤️🎄✨🪵 And the last year of my 20s!!” she wrote.
McDermott shared a rare photo with her boyfriend after they vacationed together in December 2025.
In late December, The Sun reported that they had spent Christmas together in Hertfordshire. Just before New Year’s, McDermott released a photo of Tomlinson in the side mirror of his car at a merry-go-round. She described the trip in the caption, writing, “I went to Costa Rica, a country I’ve wanted to visit since I was a teenager. It was the most magical trip of my life!!”
McDermott celebrated the release of Tomlinson’s album in January 2026.
She posted an Instagram Story revealing her excitement for How Did I Get Here? to drop. “Coming soon,” she wrote.
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 was paired with fellow contestant Adam Collard, but was eliminated from the show after 10 days.
She has built a career as a documentary filmmaker and television host.
After appearing on Love Island, McDermott pivoted her career. She currently works on television shows and documentaries, primarily for BBC Three. She has produced and hosted numerous investigative documentaries, tackling topics such as rape culture and eating disorders.
In 2021, McDermott released a documentary on BBC Three Revenge Porn in which she opened up about her personal experience of having intimate images shared without her consent.
McDermott has since produced several additional documentaries, including Eating Disorders (examining the rise of eating disorders among young people), Exposing Rape Culture (examining sexism in British schools), and The Idaho Murders: Trial by TikTok (examining the influence of social media on high-profile criminal cases).
She hinted on Instagram that her next documentary will cover stalking. On March 17, she wrote, “Today marks the last week of filming a documentary about stalking, and I can honestly say it was one of the most eye-opening and emotional films I’ve ever made. I’ve learned so much about the strength of victims and survivors through this process… Some of these women are the strongest people I’ve ever met. Stalking is one of the loneliest crimes out there.”
She competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023.
In 2023, McDermott took part in 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. After the season, McDermott spoke publicly about his training experience, revealing that he found certain aspects of the process “painful.”
She is an ambassador for UK domestic violence charity Refuge.
In 2024, McDermott became an ambassador for British domestic violence organization Refuge. She has worked with the organization for many years, most notably with the 2020 Naked Threat campaign. The project led the British government to criminalize threats to share intimate photos of someone.
Commenting on her role as an ambassador, Ms. McDermott said, “Using my platform to speak out against abuse has been very important to me throughout my career, so I’m excited to join Refuge as an ambassador.”
She added: “Since sharing my experience of intimate image abuse, so many survivors have told me their stories and I have been shocked by the scale of this horrific form of abuse. Together with Refuge, I will continue to work to shine a light on the reality of domestic violence and show survivors that they are not alone.”
During Refuge’s 50th Anniversary Event held at Clarence House in January 2022, Mr McDermott marked the milestone with other advocates and celebrities including Queen Camilla.
In an interview with Loose Women on March 6, 2025, McDermott emphasized the importance of recognizing red flags in relationships, saying, “Now, especially because of social media, you’re thinking things like, ‘Oh, he wants me to share his location all the time,’ or ‘He wants me to put a tracker on his car.’ That’s actually really common.”
McDermott is also a fashion entrepreneur.
Beyond her television work, McDermott also dabbles in fashion. In 2024, she launched the women’s casual brand “Rise.” A label based in the UK. It first debuted in Tesco’s F&F Clothing in April and has since expanded into a luxury loungewear and athleisure line called Rise Black Label, sold at New Look.
She was previously in a long-term relationship with Sam Thompson.
Before rumors surfaced about her relationship with Tomlinson, McDermott dated British reality star Sam Thompson, best known for Made in Chelsea, for five years. The show chronicled the couple’s relationship, including their highly publicized breakup in 2020 after McDermott admitted to having an affair while appearing on The X Factor: Celebrity. They reconciled soon after, but ultimately separated in December 2024.
