Zara McDermott and Louis Tomlinson have seemingly confirmed their romance after they were spotted looking loved-up during a dinner date at a hotel. However, there appear to have been various signs that the Love Island alum and One Direction singer were sparking up a connection long before their cosy date.
The reality TV star, 28, and musician, 33, were photographed at a hotel in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, by another guest as they enjoyed a £100 fish and chips meal and cocktails after several previous dates. An observer said: “They looked every bit the happy couple,” as they were spotted laughing and holding hands. The guest, who captured images of the two stars, noted that they seemed to be “having a great time” as they touched hands across the table. They also observed that “Zara had a few cocktails” and “Louis was really making her giggle” as they chatted for a long time in the upscale venue.
A source also told The Sun that “Louis whisked Zara away” for their recent Suffolk getaway and charmed the reality TV starlet. “Louis is a proper gentleman so this trip was something he planned and put on for Zara,” the insider revealed to the publication. “He was really thoughtful and wanted to make it special. They share the same values and are both incredibly close with their families.” They added that Zara and Louis are taking things slow for now but are “enjoying each other’s company”.
Insiders have also claimed that the pair have been talking for some time and have enjoyed a handful of modest ‘dates’ in the last few weeks. Their romance comes just months after Zara split from her boyfriend of five years, former Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson. Having confirmed her split from Sam in December last year, Zara appears to be mending her broken heart, with further signs indicating a blossoming romance with Louis weeks ago.
Eagle-eyed fans spotted major hints on social media linking Zara and Louis romantically together. One of the first saw Louis, as well as his sisters Lottie, Daisy, and Phoebe, all follow Zara on Instagram a few weeks ago – with Zara reciprocating by following Louis and all the Tomlinson sisters. Not only this, but Louis only follows 338 people, with Zara being one of them. An observant fan commented on Reddit: “I’ve read a lot of rumours that Louis is in a relationship with Zara McDermott. They recently started to follow each other on Instagram. She follows all of his sisters, and they follow her back.”
While acknowledging the folly of drawing conclusions from Instagram follows, they added: “Obviously, following a person on Instagram doesn’t mean that people are in a relationship, lol, But, I just find it weird, and I am scared that this will be a new stunt. Especially since I’ve read about them many times. Louis is having a concert in London today, and I’m just waiting for Zara to be spotted there or that she post a story from the concert.”
Others seemed to be cheering on the pair as one wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Louis Single & Zara Single …. Just saying make a Cute Couple.” A second asked: “LOUIS TOMLINSON DATING ZARA MCDERMOTT ?? IS THIS TRUE? WHAT.”
Adding fuel to the fire, fans also noticed that Louis liked one of Zara’s Instagram photos from the BRIT Awards shared on March 1. For the occasion, Zara donned a thigh-split white-feathered dress and white stiletto heels while her long locks were styled in a classy up-do, having been a guest of L’Oréal for the event at London’s O2 Arena.
Some also believe that Zara could have been introduced to Louis through his sisters, given her background in documentaries and Tomlinson’s buzz about a potential family show. One social media user noted: “I’ve heard about the link with a documentary as well. Zara has been involved in a recent change in the law as it’s now illegal to threaten to share images without someone’s consent. I can see something like that appealing to Louis, even though it’s revenge porn that is the basis of Zara’s law change.”
A second commented: “I think there is a documentary about the Tomlinson’s being produced since the sisters are interested in being England’s version of the Kardashians. Zara has worked on documentaries, maybe she is involved with that.”
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