Reality TV star turned broadcaster Zara McDermott has dropped a significant hint that her relationship with One Direction's Louis Tomlinson is going from strength to strength, as the couple gear up to celebrate their first Christmas together.
Festive Clues and Cozy Celebrations
In a recent post to her Instagram Stories, Zara, 29, revealed she had finished wrapping all her Christmas presents. She playfully asked her followers if they needed any last-minute gift assistance. The photo showed a pile of neatly-wrapped presents under her tree, but the real clue was in the details: several gift tags were signed from both Zara and her boyfriend Louis.
This festive hint comes hot on the heels of the couple celebrating Zara's 29th birthday with a cozy weekend getaway, which also included Louis's sister, Lottie Tomlinson. Zara later shared a loved-up selfie with Louis from a winter walk, captioning it: 'The best birthday ever with you ❤️ & the final year of my 20’s!!'
New Beginnings for Zara and Sam
Zara began dating the musician earlier this year, following her split from long-term boyfriend and Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson at the end of 2024. The pair had dated for around five years after going official in May 2019.
Meanwhile, Sam Thompson, 33, has moved on and is now in a new relationship with London DJ Talitha Balinska, 25. He recently confirmed the romance publicly on Instagram, sharing a beaming photo of the pair during a London dinner date. On his Staying Relevant podcast with best friend Pete, Sam excitedly declared 'I’ve got a girlfriend' and recounted the low-key moment he asked Talitha to be his girlfriend.
In a revealing interview, Sam also shared that he needed therapy following his split from Zara last year. He made a subtle dig at his past relationship habits when discussing going 'Instagram official', stating to Pete: 'I've done that before and I want to do a complete opposite of that this time...' This was a likely reference to the frequent couple content, including matching Christmas pyjamas, he once shared with Zara.
Looking to the Future
Sam's relationship with Talitha appears to be blossoming quickly. He revealed plans to take her on a family skiing trip in the New Year with his sister, Louise Thompson, and her fiancé, indicating she is already becoming close with his family. Louise had seemingly given her approval back in October, sharing a snap of Sam and Talitha with her young son.
As for Zara and Louis, their romance, which began with a string of dates in March and was confirmed publicly in August, seems firmly on track. With joint Christmas presents wrapped and a birthday celebrated together, all signs point to a serious and heating-up partnership as they head into the new year.
