Sam Thompson’s relationship with Zara McDermott ‘never recovered from her cheating’ amid claims the couple have split after five years together.
This week it was reported the pair, who began dating in 2019, had ‘ended their relationship’.
‘There has been no scandal or fallout between them, it’s just the result of a difficult year, where they both had to spend a lot of time focused on their own projects,’ a source told Mail Online.
However, it’s now been claimed that Zara, 28, cheating on Sam, 32, in the early days of their relationship played a part.
About six months after they began dating, Zara appeared on The X Factor: Celebrity, where she joined a band alongside Wes Nelson, Eyal Booker and Samira Mighty.
Soon after it was confirmed the couple had split after she’d cheated on him with music executive Brahim Fouradi.
Zara later went on to write her ex an open letter, admitting she made a ‘huge mistake’, and she didn’t ‘condone being unfaithful’.
A week later, in October 2020, she posted a montage of them together on social media and in an emotional caption wrote about her love for Sam.
The cheating scandal also played out on Made in Chelsea, with Zara telling Sam during one infamous scene she felt ‘disgusted’ by her actions.
The following month the couple were spotted together and soon after Sam confirmed they were back together, saying he ‘believes in forgiveness’.
In the years since the pair moved in together and regularly shared loved-up snaps on social media.
However, a ‘friend’ close to the couple has said the end of the relationship didn’t come as a surprise, with his sister Louise Thompson initially not approving of the pair getting back together too.
‘Zara and Sam’s relationship just never had felt like it was heading for the long haul,’ they told Mail Online.
‘They never really recovered from Zara’s cheating; most couples would have struggled lasting for as long as they did afterwards.
‘Zara had some big making up to do, especially with Louise, she really wasn’t happy when Sam took her back.’
They added: ‘She managed to make it work and they had some great times together again, but it just felt like it was never going to be truly serious.’
The source went on to say the couple had ‘delayed the inevitable for several months’ after they had ‘drifted apart’.
Meanwhile another friend described them as an ‘odd pairing’, labelling Sam a ‘man child’ and Zara ‘quite mature’.
When issuing her public apology to her partner in 2020, Zara said she ‘wanted to face this head on’.
‘I made a huge mistake at a time in my life where I was hugely selfish and immature,’ she wrote.
‘I believe I have learnt so much from my mistake. I want to apologise to my Sam for everything I have put him through, for the pain, the embarrassment, the anger and the hurt. All I want to do is make this right and I think the least he deserves is me being honest with myself and all of you. I love you Sam. Forever x.’
Just two weeks ago Sam posted a gushing birthday tribute to Zara on social media, in which he called her his ‘soulmate’ and ‘best friend’.
But after spending Christmas and New Year’s apart, the rumours of their relationship break down came to light.
Metro has contacted representatives for Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott for comment.
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