In a surprising turn of events, Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott have reportedly broken up after being together for five years. This happened after they spent the holiday season apart, following Sam’s time in Australia for I’m A Celebrity: Unpacked.
The 2023 I’m A Celeb winner spent Christmas Day volunteering for a charity, while Zara spent it with her close family in Essex. The former couple also spent New Year’s apart, with Sam spending it with his former Made In Chelsea co-stars in London and Zara staying at home.
Fans will remember that Sam and Zara were able to stay together after Zara cheated in 2019. So, what made them decide to end things this time?
Why did Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott break up?
A source close to the couple told the MailOnline that they broke up after “a difficult year” trying to improve their relationship.
The source said: “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. But 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.”
“There has been no scandal or fallout between them, it’s just the result of a difficult year, where they both had to spend a lot of time focused on their own projects.”
What have Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott said about their breakup?
Neither of them has commented on the report about their breakup yet. It might be that they wanted it to come out through the press, or they may release their own statements explaining what happened. But for now, their split remains unclear.
Why did Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott Split: The Real ReasonTheir breakup comes as a big surprise, especially since they just celebrated Zara’s birthday in December. On Instagram, Sam wrote: “My best friend, and soul mate….some would say my person. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me forever. Happy birthday. I love you so much, and wow have I missed you over the past month! Here’s to another amazing year with you.”
Similarly, Zara showed support for Sam spending Christmas doing charity work. Under his post, she wrote: “So proud of you, it’s so lovely that you chose to give up your Christmas Day to help others xxx.”
Reason Behind Their Breakup
In a year of career successes, Sam, the I’m A Celeb champion, became a favorite on ITV, while Zara showed her skills as a BBC documentary maker after her Strictly success. However, behind the scenes, the popular couple struggled with issues in their five-year relationship, following a cheating scandal and family disagreements.
A friend of the couple said: “Zara never felt like she was the priority with Sam. He always seemed to find someone or something to put before her.”
Friends say they grew further apart as they disagreed about their future plans. Sam’s “immature” behavior pushed him into the friend zone.
This led to them spending Christmas apart before ending their relationship for good. “Zara loved Sam, but things in the relationship weren’t right,” another source said. “They are both selfish in their own way and want to be successful in business as individuals – but of course that comes at a price.
“Sam is very childish – it’s even become part of his ‘showbiz persona’ – but Zara feels like she’s getting older and wants to start being taken more seriously.
“She knows she’ll want to start a family soon, but Sam thinks they’re both way too young and should focus on their careers.” Sam ended things with Zara in 2019 after discovering she had cheated the year before with a music mogul friend of Simon Cowell, Brahim Fourad while competing on The Celebrity X Factor.
Why did Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott Split: The Real ReasonAlthough they got back together, it caused huge tension in the family, especially with Sam’s sister, Made In Chelsea star Louise. The insider continued: “Sam’s family felt Zara didn’t make good choices and so they couldn’t see him with her long term.
“They’re both quite insecure and that came with its own issues. After her affair, it created a wedge with Sam’s family, and Sam looked to them for approval. It was always an uphill battle to prove she had changed.
“Sadly they ended up growing apart rather than together, and their relationship became more like friends who are housemates than lovers.” Sam broke his silence on the breakup for the first time yesterday.
In the latest episode of his Staying Relevant podcast, Sam said about his Christmas: “It was tough. It’s been a tough month. A real tough month.” Meanwhile, Zara showed Sam what he’s missing as she posed in a stunning red dress during a trip to Paris.