26 August 2023 , 18:54
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She may have cheated on him in the past, but Zara McDermott’s boyfriend insists the star won’t fall foul of the Strictly curse.
Sam Thompson briefly split from the Love Islander three years ago after she was unfaithful during her time on X Factor: Celebrity. But Made in Chelsea star Sam, 31, is adamant 26-year-old Zara will be immune to the so-called Strictly curse when she takes part in the dance contest next month.
Over the course of 20 series, nearly a dozen couples have broken up after joining the BBC show. But Sam reckons Zara has grown up a lot since her fling with music boss Brahim Fouradi in 2019. He said: “She was 22… so f****** young. You know when you look at them and you go, ‘She ain’t going to do that again?’ I could see in her face.
“You can just tell when someone has a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul and just f***** up.” Sam, co-host of podcast Staying Relevant, admitted cheating on girlfriends in the past, but said he had remained faithful to documentary maker Zara. He added: “You’d be some w***** to have done it yourself and can’t forgive.”
Sam and Zara last year (REX/Shutterstock)Zara, who dated fellow Islander Adam Collard before meeting Sam via Instagram, addressed her betrayal at the time, saying: “Sometimes you have to be vulnerable and hold your hands up and own your mistakes. You have to say, ‘I messed up and I’m incredibly sorry’.”
TOWIE's Chloe Brockett makes cheeky dig at Saffron Lempriere during filming
Essex-born Zara will be the first Love Islander to appear on Strictly after the BBC relaxed its “ban” on reality TV stars. The hit show has gained a reputation for celebrity contestants hooking up with their dance partners. Most recently, Bake Off winner John Whaite confessed to “falling in love” with pro, Johannes Radebe.
Newsreaders Angela Rippon and Krishnan Guru-Murthy, tennis star Annabel Croft and actors Nigel Harman, Bobby Brazier and Ellie Leach are among the stars joining Strictly from September 23.