Louis Tomlinson and Zara McDermott have been together for over a year.
In March 2025, the pair fueled dating rumors when photos came out of the former One Direction singer having dinner with the British reality star and documentary filmmaker at a Suffolk hotel.
Tomlinson and McDermott hinted they were spending time together on Instagram in April 2025. That August, McDermott went Instagram official with Tomlinson.
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.
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- She and Tomlinson were first romantically linked in March 2025.
- Tomlinson and McDermott soft-launched their relationship on Instagram in April 2025.
- The couple was photographed kissing on April 15, 2025.
- McDermott and Tomlinson went public with their relationship in August 2025.
- McDermott thanked Tomlinson for giving her “the best birthday ever” in December 2025.
- McDermott shared a rare picture of her boyfriend after spending the holidays together in December 2025.
- McDermott celebrated Tomlinson’s album release in January 2026.
- McDermott attended Tomlinson’s concert in May 2026.
- McDermott opened up about her relationship with Tomlinson in October 2026.
- McDermott was a contestant on Love Island in 2018.
- She has built her career as a documentary filmmaker and TV presenter.
- She competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023.
- She is an ambassador for Refuge, a U.K. domestic abuse charity.
- McDermott is also a fashion entrepreneur.
- She was previously in a long-term relationship with Sam Thompson.
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:
Zara McDermott following Lous Tomlinson as of March 18, 2025
Lous Tomlinson following Zara McDermott as of March 18, 2025
Louis Tomlinson’s like on Zara McDermott’s March 1 Instagram
More evidence of the pair’s potential romantic connection came out days later. On March 17, photos came out of the rumored couple having dinner at a Suffolk hotel.
Tomlinson and McDermott soft-launched their relationship on Instagram in April 2025.
Fans noticed that Tomlinson and McDermott revealed they had a date night in Los Angeles through their Instagram Stories on April 8. Both Tomlinson and McDermott posted videos from 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 gave their romance a hard launch on April 15. Paparazzi photographed the pair kissing and holding hands after a lunch date in Los Angeles. See photos here.
McDermott and Tomlinson went public with their relationship in August 2025.
On August 5, McDermott shared a photo on Instagram of herself kissing Tomlinson, making their relationship officially public. The post marked their first appearance as a couple on her grid. Tomlinson commented, “I love you” on the post.
McDermott thanked Tomlinson for giving her “the best birthday ever” in December 2025.
The British reality star posted a new look at her and Tomlinson in her birthday post—and acknowledged the way he made her day. “The best birthday ever with you ❤️🎄✨🪵 & the final year of my 20’s !!” she wrote.
McDermott shared a rare picture of her boyfriend after spending the holidays together in December 2025.
Just before the new year, McDermott shared a carousel of photos that included Tomlinson, making an appearance in the side mirror of a car he was driving. She described the moment in her caption, writing “Went to Costa Rica, a country I’ve wanted to visit since I was a teenager. The most magical trip of my life!!”
