Louis and Zara confirm relationship with PDA and Instagram tributes as Sam Thompson finds love again.
Louis Tomlinson has finally confirmed his romance with Zara McDermott, making their relationship Instagram official with a public show of affection. The former One Direction star left a heartfelt comment on the Strictly Come Dancing alumna’s latest Instagram post, praising her new BBC documentary.
Zara, 28, shared a behind-the-scenes snap of herself editing the upcoming series, captioning it: “In the edit for my new series all about Thailand… I feel really proud of this… I cannot wait.”
The 33-year-old pop star quickly commented, “Proud of you x”, a simple but powerful gesture that signalled their closeness to fans. His message has since amassed over 12,000 likes, marking the first time he has publicly interacted with Zara online.
Louis’s sisters, Lottie and Daisy Tomlinson, also voiced their support. Lottie added two heart emojis, while Daisy called Zara “clever and beautiful” with a heart icon, suggesting the McDermott-Tomlinson romance has the family’s seal of approval.
Rumours of the pair dating first emerged in March when they were spotted enjoying intimate dinners and holidays together. That speculation turned into confirmation last month, when they were snapped kissing outside Louis’s Malibu home. Caught on camera, Louis leaned in and pulled Zara close for a passionate smooch on his driveway.
Days earlier, the duo were seen holding hands on a romantic walk in California. Sources close to the couple say the relationship is exclusive. “Louis is totally smitten with Zara and she feels the same about him,” an insider revealed.
Since then, the couple have enjoyed a whirlwind few weeks—jetting out to Los Angeles, attending a Stereophonics concert at The Wiltern, and dining privately on a £100 fish and chips spread. Zara also took time to launch her new swim and gym-wear brand, Rise by Zara McDermott, for New Look, and posted photos from her sun-soaked getaway with Louis.
Insiders say the romance is progressing quickly but quietly. “They’ve kept things very low-key but their relationship is getting more serious,” one source said. “Zara has even been introduced to Louis’s family.”
The love-up reveal comes just five months after Zara’s split from Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson. But Sam isn’t staying single for long. He’s now been seen kissing Love Island star Samie Elishi, confirming growing rumours of a romance.
Samie and Sam, both 32, were spotted cosying up at Olivia Attwood’s birthday bash. Partygoers saw them hand-in-hand, and they even posed together for photos. A source told the Daily Mail, “Sam has introduced Samie to many of his friends… and Pete [Wicks] absolutely loves her for Sam.”
It’s a double dose of romance in the spotlight, with both Zara and Sam moving on in public fashion. While Sam builds a bond with Samie in London’s party scene, Louis and Zara continue to strengthen their new relationship far from the chaos—supporting each other’s careers and quietly deepening their connection.
