Zara McDermott

Zara McDermott is a broadcaster and content creator.

McDermott was a government policy advisor, working for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Department of Education before appearing on the popular UK dating show "Love Island" in 2018.

One of McDermott’s greatest passions is documentary filmmaking, a field in which she has found remarkable success with the BBC. Her acclaimed projects include "Revenge Porn," "Uncovering Rape Culture," "Disordered Eating," "Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge," "The Idaho Murders: Trial by TikTok," and "Ibiza: Secrets of the Part Islands." One of her main goals is to start a conversation and give people a voice who may have felt unseen and unheard in the past through her work. She also wants to educate young people on hard hitting issues, in a way that teachers and parents may not be able to. McDermott's films are being shown in schools across the country as part of PSHE lessons and in assemblies.

McDermott’s contributions to young people have earned widespread recognition, including a special invitation to Clarence House from the Duchess of Cornwall and the charity Refuge in honor of her impactful work. She also worked with the Duchess on a visit to a SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre). She has collaborated with the UK government and the Home Office on multiple campaigns aimed at ending violence against women and girls, particularly around revenge porn and domestic abuse. Her leadership in Refuge’s "Naked Threat" campaign was instrumental in changing the law to make it a criminal offense to threaten someone with sharing their private images—marking a major step forward in protecting victims of digital abuse. McDermott is also an ambassador for the "Shaping Us" campaign for the Centre of Early Childhood, which was launched by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.

Outside of the documentary space, McDermott has also hosted the entertainment show "Love In The Flesh" on BBC3, an innovative, inclusive dating series filmed in Greece where couples who have only ever dated online meet for the first time. McDermott also achieved one of her childhood dreams when she competed on the twenty-first series of "Strictly Come Dancing."