Zara McDermott admits she went on Love Island for a PrettyLittleThing deal and we respect it

We respect the hustle (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

It’s often suggested that the islanders on Love Island are more interested in the subsequent #spon deals than finding The One – so kudos to Zara McDermott for actually admitting it.

In a confession that will surprise precisely nobody, and one we respect, Zara has said she went on Love Island in 2018 to bag a deal with PrettyLittleThing.

The 24-year-old was speaking to her boyfriend Sam Thompson about the current series of Love Island, specifically Lucinda Strafford staying in the villa over her partner Brad McClelland after they were voted the least compatible couple by viewers.

Made In Chelsea star Sam fumed: ‘She’s not shocked at all! She literally couldn’t be happier. The PLT deal is still in effect! He goes, “I’m going to go” and she goes, “Are you sure?”…

‘She doesn’t give a s***! [Jake] cares more than she does!’

Faye Winter then kicked off at Lucinda over her intentions, and Sam asked Zara: ‘Why has Faye made it all about her?’

Zara was a government advisor before entering the villa (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Zara dated Adam for seven months (Picture: Capturise/REX/Shutterstock)

Zara said: ‘I wish I knew the answer to that. I was there for a PLT deal!’, with her boyfriend adding: ’They’re all there for a PLT deal!’ 

Zara worked as a government advisor before entering the fourth series of Love Island, and found herself at the centre of a dramatic love triangle when Adam Collard moved on from Rosie Williams to her.

After she left the villa, Adam moved on to Darylle Sargeant, but once he was dumped, he returned to Zara and the pair dated for seven months before splitting.

Zara did, however, land an edit with PrettyLittleThing rival Missguided, and has carved out a career as an influencer with 1.5 million Instagram followers – so her plan worked out in the end.

The reality star told The Sun that she was ‘thrown into the deep end’ when she entered the villa aged 21, saying: ‘Sometimes I don’t even know how I got on to the show – I’m not a party girl, I’m not an outgoing person. I’m quite a calm, relaxed person.

‘I questioned going on it because I loved my job and wasn’t sure I wanted to leave it. But now – it sounds weird and some people don’t believe it’s a real job – I find influencing quite a creative job. I don’t know how long I’m going to be doing it for, so why not maximise it?’

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As well as being an influencer, Zara had a stint on Made In Chelsea alongside Sam, and also fronted her own BBC Three documentary.

On the show, she shared her experience of being a victim of revenge porn as a 14-year-old, with a classmate sharing naked pictures of her around their school.

Zara spoke to other women about their stories, and investigated the legal implications surrounding revenge porn.

Love Island continues at 9pm on ITV2.

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