Inside Louis Tomlinson's private life from family tragedies to Zara McDermott

Metro

9 hours ago

After years in the spotlight as a member of One Direction, Louis Tomlinson has kept his personal life incredibly private in more recent years.
However, the usually private singer, 33, is now dating TV personality Zara McDermott, 28, and is set to be on screens as he appears in the Soccer Aid match this weekend.
The charity match is set to take place on Sunday and will see the likes of Jill Scott, Tom Grennan, Tyson Fury, Zara's ex-boyfriend Sam Thompson, and Sir Mo Farah take to the pitch.
Due to an injury, Sam has to stay on the sidelines and participate as a manager for the team. Meaning fans may not get to see the pair cross paths directly at the charity game.
Louis's blossoming romance has grabbed attention thanks to Zara's previous high-profile relationships with Love Island stars and with Sam – as they only broke up after six years at the end of 2024.
Louis and Zara have been snapped packing on the PDA in recent weeks, with the singer even being snapped giving his new love interest a cheeky bum squeeze while holidaying in Costa Rica.
The pair officially confirmed their romance in May when Louis left a public comment of support reading 'proud of you x' on a post from Zara about a career milestone.
Louis has reportedly been dating Zara for a good few months now, with a source telling The Sun he has 'absolutely charmed her.'
They continued: 'It's clear he thinks she's drop-dead gorgeous too. Louis is a proper gentleman so this trip was something he planned and put on for Zara.'
Zara rose to fame while appearing on the 2018 series of Love Island, entering as a 'bombshell' and coupling up with Adam Collard.
After 10 days, she left the villa but made her mark as the following year she appeared with other contestants on Celebrity X Factor.
She was placed in a group with Eyal Booker, Samira Mighty and Wes Nelson and mentored by Louis Walsh — an experience the History hitmaker can almost certainly relate to.
Zara has fronted multiple documentaries and in 2023 appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, getting eliminated in the fifth week with partner Graziano Di Prima.
In reality TV, Zara also starred on E4's Made in Chelsea until 2020, where she met ex-boyfriend Sam, 32.
Before fame, the What Makes You Beautiful hitmaker was said to be dating a woman named Hannah Walker, however, by 2011 this had fizzled out.
After this, he was reported to be dating Eleanor Calder, a fashion assistant and model, who was seen on his arm at multiple events.
They stayed together until 2015, with sources citing long distance and the One Direction touring schedule as a reason for the breakup.
Shortly after the split, Louis was rumoured to be seeing the likes of Danielle Campbell, Tamara Bell and then the mother of his only son, Briana Jungwirth.
By 2016, Freddie was born, but the romance had fizzled out with Briana, who worked as a personal stylist.
The next year, he got back together with Eleanor, and they remained together until 2020, with Louis even suggesting marriage was on the cards.
Louis was linked to Sofie Nyvang in 2023, but things didn't last long, and his relationship with Zara is the first glimpse at his romantic life that we've had since then.
Despite his own superstar status, Louis keeps Freddie's life far away from the spotlight except for glimpses in the 2023 documentary All Of Those Voices.
Freddie, nine, is co-parented by Briana and Louis but lives in the US with his mum, which limits the time he can spend with his dad.
During the documentary, the Just Hold On singer spends every moment he's off work with Freddie, balancing life between the UK and America.
In a sweet moment, his son watches him perform for the first time, reducing Louis to tears.
When Freddie comes backstage, his dad scoops him up into a hug and tells him: 'You made me cry! It was happy crying, but you made me cry!'
Briana posts small updates more frequently, but Louis firmly keeps chat about his son to a minimum.
He confessed in 2020 to Fabulous Magazine that having Freddie at 24 had been 'unexpected' and forced him to 'grow up very quickly.'
'It was another one of them moments — being faced with the reality of a situation and having to step up. It was a very maturing time in my life,' Louis continued.
Happy birthday to my incredible son Freddie! You make me proud every single day!! So lucky to have such a kind and outgoing little lad. I love you! — Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) January 21, 2022
'And, again, I've kind of got between two head spaces. I'm the responsible dad and brother some days and other days I'm still the reckless idiot chav I used to be. I'm still trying to work out a happy medium.'
In 2022, he wrote: 'Happy birthday to my incredible son Freddie! You make me proud every single day. So lucky to have such a kind and outgoing little lad. I love you!'
Louis grew up in Doncaster in a big blended family with seven siblings, who he is very close to, including influencer sister Lottie.
His mother, Johannah 'Jay' Deakin, married Mark Tomlinson after splitting with Louis' biological father Troy Austin — who he has no contact with. https://www.instagram.com/p/C1RiG_DKF4L/?hl=en
With Mark, Johannah welcomed Lottie, Félicité and twins Phoebe and Daisy before they parted ways in 2011.
Phoebe and Daisy regularly post family pictures together, including a Christmas video which saw Freddie featured instead of Louis.
Johannah married a man named Dan Deakon after this, and in 2014, they welcomed fraternal twins, son Ernest and daughter Doris.
In December 2016, Louis' mum died from leukaemia at age 43, inspiring the song Two of Us on his debut album.
He told Metro at the time: 'My mum wasn't about feeling sorry for herself. Again that's what gives me pride and comfort singing the chorus. It feels really liberating.'
Just over two years after losing his mum, Louis' sister Félicité also died from an accidental overdose. More Trending
Fizzy, as she was affectionately known, was just 18 at the time, working as a model and aspiring to be a fashion designer.
Speaking to The Guardian, Louis said: 'That whole dark side I've gone through, it sounds stupid to say, but it gives me strength everywhere else in my life because that's the darkest shit that I'm going to have to deal with.
'So it makes everything else…not feel easier and not less important, but in the grand scheme of things, you see things for what they are.'
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