Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly presenting Strictly Come Dancing and the Love Island logo inset
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Zara McDermott to be first Love Island star on Strictly 2023

'Dreams come true'

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Strictly Come Dancing bosses are reported to have performed a shock U-turn for the show’s 2023 series.

It’s claimed that, following years where reality TV stars weren’t booked to appear the show, the first-ever Love Island contestant is tipped to slip into their sequins and hit the dance floor.

According to the Daily Mail, Zara McDermott will become the first-ever Love Island contestant to appear on the BBC dance show. And sources claim that the news is a “dream come true” for the star.

Zara McDermott posing by a pool in a pink dress
Zara McDermott is tipped to become the first Love Island contestant on Strictly (Credit: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing 2023: Zara McDermott ‘signs up’

Earlier today (July 11), it was reported that Zara has signed up for Strictly. Zara took part in the fourth series of Love Island in 2018. Since then, she’s gone on to become one of the BBC’s rising stars. She has now turned her hand to documentary making.

Zara has fronted several documentaries for BBC Three including about her experience of revenge porn and the rise of eating disorders among teens. It’s reportedly hoped her inclusion on the line-up will bring a younger audience to the show.

Not only is she beautiful and glamorous but she is hardworking and will take being on the show very seriously.

A show insider said Zara is the “perfect signing” for the show. They told the paper: “Zara is the perfect signing for Strictly, not only is she beautiful and glamorous but she is hardworking and will take being on the show very seriously.”

They then added: “She’s absolutely loved the experience of documentary making and is over the moon to further her relationship with the BBC by signing up to Strictly.”

Speaking about the BBC’s U-turn, the source concluded: “It is a dream come true for her and becoming the first former Love Island star to do so is the icing on the cake.”

The BBC told ED!: “We don’t comment on speculation.”

The Strictly judges holding their paddleboards
Zara is among the stars tipped to dance for the show’s esteemed judges (Credit: BBC)

Strictly curse

Zara will surely be hoping to defy the show’s so-called curse when it starts this autumn. She is happily loved-up with Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson. They’ve been together since 2019.

However, Zara has admitted to cheating on Sam in the past after she got close to a music industry exec while appearing on The X Factor Celebrity in 2020.

Sam revealed why he decided to forgive Zara: “I believe in forgiveness. I understand the context – and I think in any walk of life you can’t move forward unless you forgive. Forgiveness allows you to heal. You can only heal when you forgive the other person and get over that.”

Read more: Ex-EastEnders hunk ‘signs up’ for Strictly Come Dancing 2023

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor