30 September 2023 , 16:20
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Strictly Come Dancing hopeful Zara McDermott danced for the first time on the Strictly stage last weekend with her pro partner Graziano Di Primo, covered head to toe in sequins.
However, she was left trying to hold back tears after some brutal comments from the judges during her first performance on the iconic ballroom floor. Craig Revel Horwood described the routine as "wooden" but, in contrast, Anton Du Beke branded Zara "one to watch". And fans rushed to the former Love Island star's defence, with one saying: "Craig gives Zara a Graziano a three?! What's wrong with him today! #Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing."
Zara is competing in this year's Strictly (BBC/Ray Burmiston)
Zara and Sam are now happier than ever (Zara McDermott/Instagram)Zara's biggest fan, her partner Sam Thompson, was cheering on his girlfriend in the studio audience and went the extra mile in a shirt emblazoned with her face. The documentary maker first burst onto our screens as a bombshell on the fourth season of Love Island, whipping up chaos in the villa after coupling up with the notorious Adam Collard just days into her stay.
After her short but impactful stint on the reality show, she joined the cast of Made in Chelsea as she struck up a relationship with regular Sam Thompson. Since then the Strictly star has gone on to to present a series of documentaries for the BBC - including one about her own experiences with revenge porn.
But perhaps for many, the star is most memorable for *that* unfortunate moment on a park bench where she was seen begging for the forgiveness of her boyfriend, Sam, after cheating on him early on in their relationship. Zara and Sam originally started dating in 2019, which was followed shortly by her debut on Made in Chelsea, where she was seen meeting his friends, including his ex-girlfriend Sophie Habboo.
Love Island's Haris spills on unaired row between Zara and Tanyel
The scene of Zara asking Sam for forgiveness on a park bench went viral.Their relationship quickly broke down, however, when rumours began circulating that while filming The X Factor: Celebrity, Zara had cheated on Thompson with music industry executive, Brahim Fouradi. The issue came to a head when Zara admitted her infidelity on the show, saying at the time: "When it happened I genuinely thought that me and Sam were going to break up, inevitably. I just thought we were hanging on by a tiny thread and we're going to break up."
But the scene that sticks in most people's minds is couple's meet on a park bench shortly after the whole affair came to light and Zara was seen begging for Sam's forgiveness. "I have no justification for anything, the way that I've behaved, the way that I've acted, the things that I've done. It's just disgusting. I just want you to forgive me."
Sam replied to her: "There's absolutely no way, because how can there ever be a way. I can't even trust this." It was at this point that the clearly regretful Zara pleads with him to reconsider, crying: "No, stop. Please stop, please. You can, you can. You can do it, you can, please."
The pair rekindled their romance and are still happily together today. (@E4Chelsea/Twitter)The clip went viral on social media, with many fans suggesting that Zara was faking her emotions. Thankfully, the stars were able to rekindle their romance and have been together in a happy relationship ever since, with Sam there to cheer her on last Saturday as she took to the Strictly ballroom floor with professional partner Graziano Di Prima for the first time.
Having come a long way since the cheating scandal, the star has gone on to forge a career as a documentarian for the BBC. So far she has hosted three programmes, Revenge Porn (2021), Uncovering Rape Culture (2021) and Disordered Eating (2022) based on her own experiences, as well as Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge (2023).
She is currently working on another called Inside Ibiza which is set to be released next year.