Sam Thompson hinted at engagement to Zara McDermott in shock post days before split

Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott have split after five years together after spending Christmas and New Year's Eve apart

Sam Thompson sparked speculation he was about to propose to Zara McDermott just days before reports the pair have split.

The pair raised eyebrows among fans after spending Christmas and New Year's Eve apart. On December 31st Sam was seen downing shots at a bar with his former Made in Chelsea co-stars, while Zara spent a quiet night at home alone with their cats.

A source close to the couple said despite appearances, it has been a 'tough year' of working hard at their romance and they have decided they cannot continue. "Sam and Zara have ended their relationship. It's been an incredibly difficult decision for them to part ways, they still care and have a lot of love for each other," they said.

"But after a tough year of working hard at their romance, they have split and will be focusing on their individual careers going forward into 2025. 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." they told the Mail.

The shock news comes days after Sam paid a gushing birthday tribute to Zara. His caption read: "My best friend, and soul mate….some would say my person. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me forever happy birthday. I love you so much, and wow have I missed you over the past month! Here’s to another amazing year with you."

Fans quickly flooded the comments, wondering if the couple had taken their relationship to the next level. One user commented a ring emoji alongside question marks, whilst another penned: "That’s the perfect dress for you to get engaged." A third wrote: "You should get her a ring………… just saying!!" A third added: "OK SAMWISE BUT WHERE’S THE RING."

However, despite the gushing post, it has been reported that the couple split shortly after Zara's birthday. Despite the shock news of their break-up being shared on Christmas Day, Sam appeared in a jubilant mood as he took to Instagram the morning after.

"New year! 2025 baby come on let's have it! I can't wait. the New year is going to be amazing and you're going to have the best year ever. And you know I'm always right," cried Sam before appearing to kiss his camera.

This comes after rumours circulated earlier in the summer suggesting a possible split between Sam and Zara. Reports claimed they had a major argument, with Zara reportedly leaving their London home and staying at her family's place.

However, the couple later confirmed they were back on track, with Zara sharing a sweet birthday photo of Sam celebrating his 32nd birthday in their kitchen, surrounded by balloons and grinning at the camera.

Both Sam and Zara were in the spotlight last year, with Zara competing on Strictly Come Dancing and Sam winning I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Zara supported him throughout his journey on social media. Although she didn’t meet him in Australia after his win, Sam’s best friend Pete Wicks was the one chosen to greet him.

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror when Sam was in the jungle, Zara said: "Sam has watched the show every year since he can remember, so to see him in there living the dream and loving every minute of it makes me so happy. He is truly being himself and although I'm already missing him, I want to see him go the whole way into the final!"

Post-show, Sam's career took off, keeping him busier than ever - from presenting to podcast hosting and even acting, the former Made in Chelsea star has done it all. After his win, he returned to the UK and began presenting segments on This Morning, including being a roving reporter.

He also made appearances on the iconic sofa where he presented the latest entertainment news and was reunited with his jungle co-star Josie Gibson. In April this year, the reality star and his best mate Pete Wicks took their Staying Relevant podcast on a UK tour. They visited four different cities over two weeks, from London and Birmingham to Plymouth and Dublin.

In addition to this, Sam now hosts not one, but two shows on Hits Radio. He hosts The Hits UK Chart every Sunday from 4-7pm and The Hits Radio Evening Show from Monday to Thursday starting at 7pm.

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