Love Island star Zara dated fellow reality star Sam Thompson for five years before their recent split – but their romance hit a major road bump back in 2020 with Zara issuing a publicly apology
Zara McDermott is back making headlines with her love life. The former Love Island star, 28, was pictured on a romantic dinner date with One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson – much to the surprise of fans.
Prior to her blossoming romance with Louis, Zara dated Sam Thompson for five years, with the couple calling time on their romance just three months ago.
Many believed that Sam, 32, and Zara were destined to tie the knot before their shock split. But their relationship wasn’t without its issues.
The tumultuous pair are said to have come to blows for the final time just before Christmas – choosing to go their separate ways over the holiday season.
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But it was in 2020 that they faced their biggest hurdle when Zara admitted to cheating on Sam while appearing as a contestant on The X Factor: Celebrity. Their relationship imploded in spectacular fashion after Zara made a very tearful confession during dramatic scenes on Made in Chelsea – before Sam ultimately decided to take her back.
Zara was brutally accused of “fake crying” as her tearful apology aired on the reality show. She admitted she slept with music boss Brahim Fouradi while she was filming the ITV show in 2019, and was seen making an emotional admission to a heartbroken Sam.
Sobbing during a dinner with her friends, she said: “I did something really bad, around a year ago and slept with someone.”
Later, sitting on a park bench with Sam, Zara sobbed as she begged for Sam’s forgiveness and implored him not to end things with her. “I have no justification for anything, the way that I’ve behaved, the way that I’ve acted, the things that I’ve done. It’s just disgusting. I just want you to forgive me,” she pleaded.
In despair, Sam responded with the heartbreaking four words: “There’s absolutely no way.” He added: “Because how can there ever be a way? I can’t even trust this.” Regretful Zara then wept as she pleaded: “No, stop. Please stop, please. You can, you can. You can do it, you can, please.”
Zara also took the step of taking to Instagram to publicly address the scandal. “A huge mistake I made a year ago has recently come to light and I want to face this head on,” she said.
“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. 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.”
But while the couple did reconcile, it ultimately wasn’t meant to be.
A friend told MailOnline: “They never really recovered from Zara’s cheating, most couples would have struggled lasting for as long as they did afterwards. Zara had some big making up to do, especially with Louise [Sam’s sister], she really wasn’t happy when Sam took her back.”
The former couple were last seen together in December celebrating Zara’s birthday, when Sam also dedicated an Instagram post to his girlfriend, calling her his ‘soulmate’ and ‘best friend’.
But the pair spent New Year’s Eve separately, with Sam celebrating with his former Made In Chelsea co-stars Reza Amiri-Garroussi and Josh Patterson at London’s Kensington Roof Gardens. Zara, meanwhile, spent the night at home alone, along with their two cats.
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