Zara McDermott rings in 29 with Louis Tomlinson after ex-Sam’s lover reveal

Zara McDermott marked the start of her birthday celebrations by sharing a loved-up selfie with boyfriend Louis Tomlinson on Sunday, just hours after her ex Sam Thompson went Instagram official with his new girlfriend.

The Love Island alum, who turned 29, posted a smiling snap with the former One Direction star on Saturday, writing, “The best birthday ever with you & the final year of my 20’s!!”

The photo appeared shortly after Thompson confirmed his relationship with London DJ Talitha Balinska on his own account.

Later in the day, McDermott also reposted a birthday tribute from Tomlinson's sister, Lottie, which was a photo of the trio posing together.

McDermott and Tomlinson, 33, were first linked in March and confirmed their relationship publicly in August. Since then, the pair have kept a relatively low profile with occasional posts of each other.

Meanwhile, Thompson, 33, confirmed earlier this month that he was officially off the market again after months of dating Balinska, 25.

Speaking on his Staying Relevant podcast with Pete Wicks, Thompson revealed he asked Balinska to be his girlfriend during a low-key dinner, saying he wanted the moment to feel “relaxed” and natural.

Before that, Thompson and McDermott dated for around five years after going public in 2019, before splitting in late 2024.