Back in January, much to the surprise of fans, reports emerged that after five years together Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson had called it quits on their romance.
While neither Zara or Sam addressed the rumours directly, a source close to the couple said that the pair had been trying to work on their relationship over the last year – but clearly to no avail.
The source told MailOnline: “Sam and Zara have ended their relationship. It’s been an incredibly difficult decision for them to part ways, they still care and have a lot of love for each other.
“After a tough year of working hard at their romance, they have split and will be focusing on their individual careers going forward into 2025.”
But now, a couple of months after the reports emerged, some fans have become convinced that Zara has moved on with One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson.
Is Louis Tomlinson dating Zara McDermott?
The dating rumours were ignited after some eagle-eyed fans noticed that Louis and his sisters (Phoebe, Lottie and Daisy) had all started following Zara on Instagram.
And sure enough, it turns out that Zara had also followed all of them too.
Unsurprisingly, the revelation was enough to leave some fans convinced that the pair are now dating, but others haven’t been quite so persuaded.
One advocate of the rumoured relationship wrote on X: “Louis Single & Zara Single ….Just saying make a Cute Couple.”
Another totally freaked at the speculation, as they wrote: “LOUIS TOMLINSON DATING ZARA MCDERMOTT ?? IS THIS TRUE WHAT.”
But not everyone has been quite so enthralled by the rumoured relationship, as one less than convinced fan said: “Look at that, Zara’s ex-boyfriend Sam Thompson & Louis Tomlinson are both participating in Soccer Aid.
“I wonder if they will compare notes since some of you think she is Louis’ stunt gf. I’m thinking not. Stop believing everything you see & hear. It’s not that serious.”
Another simply replied to a TikTok report of the rumours with a rolling eyes emoji.
However, not everyone has taken the rumours so seriously, with some even using the speculation as an opportunity to poke fun at the rumours with a couple of cheeky jokes.
One wrote: “I’m here to put the rumours to rest. Louis isn’t dating Zara, he’s married to me. Glad to clear that up! Now, please give us the privacy we deserve.”
A week following the following revelation, Louis and Zara added fuel to the dating speculation when they were spotted out on a romantic-looking dinner together.
The pair were seen giggling over a plate of fish and chips while also enjoying some cocktails, with one onlooker even claiming they saw them hold hands across the table.
Another source told the tabloids: “Louis whisked Zara away for a break in Suffolk and he absolutely charmed her.
“It’s clear he thinks she’s drop-dead gorgeous too.”
They added: “For now they’re taking things slowly and enjoying each other’s company to see where it takes them.”
While we’re yet to see official confirmation from the pair about their rumoured relationship, we’ll keep our eyes peeled and report back here with any new developments.
