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EXCLUSIVE Sam Thompson 'grows close' to stunning Too Hot to Handle star after ex-girlfriend Zara McDermott moves on from their five-year romance with One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson By SARAH PACKER, CHIEF SHOWBIZ REPORTER Published: 11:46, 2 April 2025 | Updated: 11:46, 2 April 2025 e-mail View comments Sam Thompson has 'grown close' to a stunning Netflix star as he bids to move on from his relationship with Zara McDermott . MailOnline can reveal the I'm a Celebrity ..
. Get Me Out of Here! winner, 32, was spotted with Lucy Syed, 28, at new Chelsea nightclub The Rex Rooms last month and according to sources, they have spent time together on more than one occasion. Pals close to Sam insist he is not dating bikini model Lucy, who starred on the latest series of Too Hot to Handle but claim they have enjoyed each other's company.
The former Made In Chelsea favourite has been single since his split from ex-Strictly Come Dancing contestant Zara, 28, his girlfriend of five years, who is now in a new relationship with One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson , 33. Sam, who presents podcast Staying Relevant with friend Pete Wicks , 37, first connected with Lucy on Instagram and has since liked her glamorous pictures. A source told MailOnline the attraction between Sam, who recently signed up to celebrity dating app Raya , and Lucy was 'instant' and friends are happy the London-born influencer was able to put a smile back on the TV star's face.
Sam Thompson has 'grown close' to a stunning Netflix star as he bids to move on from his relationship with Zara McDermott MailOnline can reveal the I'm a Celebrity...
Get Me Out of Here! winner was spotted with Lucy Syed at new Chelsea nightclub The Rex Rooms last month The former Made In Chelsea favourite has been single since his split from ex-Strictly Come Dancing star Zara, who is now in a new relationship with One Direction's Louis Tomlinson A friend said: 'Sam and Lucy were sharing direct messages over Instagram before they decided to meet up at a pub and then continue their night at The Rex Rooms. 'They looked really close in the club, chatting and cuddling up together. 'But their closeness continued after they spent the night partying together and the pair's connection has certainly put a smile back on Sam's face.
'Sam is enjoying being single again and dipping his toe back into the dating pool.' Lucy, who was a runner-up on series six of Too Hot to Handle, is an aspiring singer and regularly posts videos of her bathroom performances on TikTok. She didn't find love or break the rules of the show, where contestants who are known to be noncommittal in relationships are challenged to stay celibate while living together at a luxury villa in the Turks and Caicos.
The model, who's from London, spoke on TikTok about her dating struggles at the beginning of the year, crying on camera about 'single life.' She said: 'Well, at least we know manifesting works, I hate that it's called manifesting, like, 'man'..
. it's like men are infesting my life and annoying and upsetting me. It's a man infestation.
.. I'm ready for the glow up now please.
' MailOnline has contacted Sam and Lucy's representatives for comment. MailOnline revealed on New Year's Day that Sam and BBC documentary maker Zara had decided to end their romance after five years, which saw the couple live and holiday together Lucy, who was a runner-up on series six of Too Hot to Handle, is an aspiring singer and regularly posts videos of her bathroom performances on TikTok Sam has expressed his attraction to Lucy by liking her glamorous Instagram photos including a snap of the model in a cutout black swimsuit It was revealed last month that Zara is dating 1D's Louis Tomlinson after the couple were pictured enjoying a date night together at The Suffolk in Aldburgh (pictured March 2025) She opened up on mental health podcast Secure the Insecure presented by Johnny Seifert about her childhood, saying she has the most 'wonderful' parents and family. Lucy said: 'They are super supportive.
I used to say when I was at drama school I know I'm not the most talented person in my year at this university but I feel like the most loved, which is way more important to me. 'I have an amazing family, it's interesting because my dad is Indian/Italian so half my family on my dad's side are Indian and Italian so there are lots of different cultures going on there and amazing food. 'I was a bit of a chubby weirdo at school but I always had this innate confidence that my mum had always built in me so I was quite lucky I didn't get bullied, I don't know how because I was really odd and loved cake.
' Lucy is Sam's first dalliance since his breakup from Zara, who was spotted on a date with former X Factor star Louis at The Suffolk in Aldburgh last month. MailOnline revealed the couple had gone their separate ways shortly after Sam spent an extended period in Australia, where he co-hosted I'm A Celeb spinoff show Unpacked and BBC documentary maker Zara stayed home. Sam won I'm A Celeb in 2023, the same year Zara competed on Strictly with the show's ex-professional dancer Graziano Di Prima, who was axed from the series after he admitted to kicking the former Love Islander during training.
In a statement posted to Instagram Zara said she found incidents in the training room with Graziano 'incredibly distressing', and she had 'faced her fears' by speaking to the BBC about the way she was treated. Zara found fame on Love Island in 2018 where she dated gym owner Adam Collard while Sam followed in sister Louise's footsteps by appearing on E4 series Made In Chelsea. During his time on the show between 2013 and 2021 Sam dated the likes of Lucy Watson and Sophie Habboo, who's now married to his friend Jamie Laing.
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