Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson’s celebrity friendship group are reportedly ‘taking sides’ after their break up and the former’s new romance with Louis Tomlinson was revealed. 

The Love Island star, 28, dated Made In Chelsea’s Sam, 32, for five years before they split in December.

She is now thought to be dating One Direction star Louis after the pair were spotted enjoying a romantic evening overnight in SusSєx.

However, after being together for five years, Zara and Sam have a lot of mutual friends, who are now reportedly ‘stuck in the middle’ amid the drama. 

A source told The Sun: ‘It’s really hard as the friendship groups were combined for five years and everyone was so supportive.

‘But now they’ve been torn apart and people are having to take sides. Some people have chosen Sam, others have chosen Zara – and some people are stuck in the middle.’

Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson ‘s celebrity friendship group are reportedly ‘taking sides’ after their break up and the former’s new romance with Louis Tomlinson was revealed

The Love Island star, 28, dated Made In Chelsea ‘s Sam, 32, for five years before they split in December

They added: ‘The main problem is that everyone feels very pᴀssionately. Sam’s sister Louise was cynical about Zara but did warm up to her. Pete was always close to Zara, so the split is hard for him too.’

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Zara, Sam, Pete and Louise for comment. 

Zara and Pete also have a close friendship, with Pete previusly admitting it was Zara who pushed him to do Strictly Come Dancing.

She previously said of the friendship: ‘The three of us have a very odd relationship, but it’s very amazing. 

‘He’s literally my brother, my best friend. He’s Sam’s brother and his best friend. Me and Sam are together, so, I love them both very much in different ways.

‘It’s a strange dysfunctional family. It works so well because we are all so different, the three of us, that we… just anything that any of us is faced with, like we’re all there for each other. It’s so lovely.

‘And I know it sounds a bit weird to be best friends with your boyfriend’s best friend – the whole trio.’ 

Zara and Pete also made a slew of hilarious TikToks as they spent time together while Sam was in Australia on I’m A Celeb. 

Meanwhile, one fan took to Louise’s Instagram comments to address how she will move forward with her friendship with Zara, writing: ‘Hope you don’t just drop Zara’.

Louise appeared to make a defiant statement about her friendship with Zara by liking the comment.

Zara and Pete also have a close friendship, with Pete previusly admitting it was Zara who pushed him to do Strictly Come Dancing 

Zara and Pete also made a slew of hilarious TikToks as they spent time together while Sam was in Australia on I’m A Celeb 

Sam and Zara regularly made fun TikTok videos with Louise and her partner Ryan Libbey and the group also travelled together on lavish holidays 

Read More Sam Thompson addresses the stages of grief as his ex Zara McDermott moves on with Louis Tomlinson

Sam and Zara regularly made fun TikTok videos with Louise and her partner Ryan Libbey and the group also travelled together on lavish holidays.

And last month, Louise and Sam took to the BRIT Awards red carpet together, narrowly missing an awkward run-in with ex Zara.

It comes just after Zara’s eye-watering income was’revealed’ as she ‘ becomame a millionaire’ amid her split from Sam.

It has now been revealed by The Sun that Zara’s post-Love Island endeavours have seen her rake in huge amounts of cash, reportedly £1million.

From reality TV to presenting hard hitting BBC documentaries, the former policy adviser’s media career has seen her ‘become a millionaire’.

Zara has appeared in various reality TV programmes after finding fame on the ITV dating show in 2018 – where she struck up a romance with Adam Collard.

The pair split soon after, but Zara later started dating Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson and she appeared on the London-based show as his girlfriend.

In 2021, Zara presented her first documentary for the BBC, Revenge Porn, and a collection of films followed focusing on topics such as the dark side of party island Ibiza and eating disorders.

Then two years later she was selected as one of the celebrities to compete on the 21st series of Strictly Come Dancing.

And last month, Louise and Sam took to the BRIT Awards red carpet together, narrowly missing an awkward run-in with ex Zara

Her impressive career so far has paid out, with The Sun reporting her company Zara Nicole McDermott Ltd has £300,000 in it.

The publication reported that Zara has paid out around £170,000 in corporation tax between 2022 and 2023, which indicates her income was around £1million.

And following her split from Sam at the end of last year, Zara has bagged herself her own London property thought to be worth £500,000.

Her West London pad is said to be close to ex Sam’s Chelsea home.

A source told the publication: ‘She bought it this month under her company name, it’s a two-bed flat in a nice area and weirdly, not that far from where she lived with Sam.

‘It will make it really awkward when they cross paths at the local pub or in a coffee shop, though.’

Friends of Zara told MailOnline she’s relieved the relationship with boyband member Louis is now out in the open after dating in secret weeks.

Zara has already got the seal of approval from Louis’ twin sisters Phoebe and Daisy, plus influencer sister Lottie, who all follow the documentary-maker on Instagram, and she’s excited about what the future holds for the pair.

The pictures confirmed rumours of a relationship first detected by sleuth-like One Direction fans who noticed Louis had followed Zara on Instagram and liked a string of her pictures.

Zara’s post-Love Island endeavours have seen her rake in huge amounts of cash, reportedly £1million (Seen in March 2024 with Sam)

According to Zara’s friends, Louis has put ‘a smile back on her face’ following her split from ex boyfriend of five years Sam Thompson , 32, on New Year’s Day.

A friend told MailOnline: ‘Zara is so happy, it’s early days with her and Louis but everything is going well between them.

‘News of their romance leaked sooner than they intended – the plan was to keep things private for as long as possible. They still hope to keep intimate details away from prying eyes.

‘Zara is enjoying being wined and dined and experiencing the thrill of dating someone new again.

She had been with Sam for years and in the end their relationship became transactional… they had lost their sparkle. Louis has certainly put a smile back on her face.’

Zara and Louis tucked into £100 fish and chips, plus cocktails, at the £315-a-night H๏τel in Suffolk.

The pair stayed at night and left for their respective London homes in the morning.

MailOnline revealed in January Zara had split from longterm partner Sam after five years of dating.

They lived together in Sam’s Fulham house which was usually the base of the couple’s amusing TikTok videos.