As Zara McDermott and her former boyfriend Sam Thompson both move on, a source claims the former Love Island star is ‘happy’ for ex and doesn’t want him seen as the ‘victim’

Sam and Zara went through a lot – and still care for each other, claims a source(Image: Instagram/zara_mcdermott)

After former Love Islander Zara McDermott debuted her new romance with one of the world’s biggest boybanders, things also seem to be hotting up for her ex Sam Thompson. The former Made in Chelsea star, 32, was photographed enjoying a passionate kiss with Samie Elishi, another Love Island alumni, just a few weeks after Zara stepped out with her new beau, One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson.

It’s believed to be Sam’s first public romance since his shock split from Zara, 28, earlier this year – and a source tells us his ex is actually happy with the new development. “Even though Sam and Zara’s relationship ended a long time before they officially split up, Sam did feel a bit like he had egg on his face,” an exclusive source tells OK!.

Zara has very publicly moved on with popstar Louis(Image: INSTAGRAM)

“He knew it had been over for a while, but of course seeing his ex move on with a member of one of the world’s most successful boybands ever is a little bit different to the norm. She’s hit the jackpot!”, they add. “Zara understandably doesn’t want to be seen as the villain, and it’s not easy when you’re the first to move into a new relationship. If this news stops people thinking of Sam as a victim – especially after she cheated on him when they were together – she’s happy.”

I’m A Celeb winner Sam was snapped kissing Samie outside a bar during a night out celebrating Olivia Attwood’s birthday. The podcast host, whose best friend is Pete Wicks, has been undergoing something of a “glow up” recently, according to his best pal, and didn’t seem to have a care in the world as he smooched former estate agent Samie, 25.

The new couple debuted their romance in March(Image: Getty Images)

While the pictures might have made for uncomfortable viewing for Zara, our source says they were received with mixed emotions. “She knew that she and Sam were never going to reconcile and of course it’s not nice to see an ex kissing someone else, but actually she does care for him,” they told us. “She’s focusing on herself and not trying to read too much into it, but she’s happy to see he’s doing well.”

Sam’s best mate Pete recently told us about Sam’s emotional journey post-breakup, revealing, “Sometimes it’s about allowing people to work on themselves, realise their worth. I hope I’ve helped him do that, because he’s amazing, and he deserves the best.”

Sam was snapped with Samie and pals at Olivia Attwood’s recent birthday bash(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

And of course Zara has since moved on in a big way – going public with 33-year-old singer Louis during a romantic mini-break in March. Now, friends say things are “getting serious”, with Louis’ sisters Phoebe and Lottie seeming to give Zara their sibling seal of approval by sending her a slew of love heart emojis on Instagram.

Their romance may have taken fans by surprise, but Zara has been keeping a relatively low profile since leaving her reality TV days on Love Island and Made in Chelsea behind, focusing instead on hard-hitting BBC documentaries and a slower-paced love life. And although she’s now dating one of the most famous pop stars on the planet, she hasn’t forgotten the emotional rollercoaster of her years with Sam.

“They supported each other through a lot, so they know that each of them has had low emotional moments,” our source adds. “She would never want Sam to be sat at home feeling miserable and in a slump.”

Of course, things between Zara and Sam weren’t always rosy. Their five-year relationship hit headlines for all the wrong reasons back in 2020 when Zara admitted to cheating on Sam early on in their relationship, during her time filming The X Factor: Celebrity – a bombshell that Zara admitted in one of Made in Chelsea’s most iconic scenes, where the tearful star begged for forgiveness on a park bench.

Sam and Zara were together for four years before their split(Image: Instagram)

At the time, Sam was heartbroken and briefly ended things before the pair reconciled, only to split for good this year. Despite the betrayal, the pair went on to have a seemingly happy relationship – living together, appearing on reality shows side by side, and sharing major milestones and Sam publicly calling her his his ‘soulmate’ and ‘best friend.’

In the years since, both have come into their own. Sam found huge success co-hosting the Staying Relevant podcast with Pete, winning over viewers on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, presenting on This Morning and being refreshingly open about his ADHD anxiety struggles.

According to our source, he’s not ready to jump into anything serious, but is happily enjoying his “single” status. “He’s not going into anything serious with Samie, he’s just making the most of being single,. He’ll happily go on dates and have a cheeky snog, and he doesn’t care who sees it!”