'Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater': Viral Joey Essex Photos Spark Zara McDermott Infidelity Rumours Amid Louis Tomlinson Romance

It appears Louis Tomlinson is facing one setback after another. Fresh off the back of his public disagreement with former One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik during production for a scrapped three-part Netflix travel series, the singer is now facing a brand new wave of social media controversy.

Now, the focus has turned to his girlfriend Zara McDermott, who finds herself facing infidelity allegations tied to her Cooking With The Stars colleague, Joey Essex.

Zara McDermott at the Centre of Cheating Rumours

The internet chatter intensified rapidly when pictures surfaced across social media showing McDermott and Essex looking remarkably intimate, with numerous onlookers insisting they caught them sharing a kiss.

Netizens wasted no time sharing their thoughts, with many bringing up McDermott's history. One post that quickly went viral stated, 'Once a cheater, always a cheater.'

The internet began speculating about McDermott's relationship with Tomlinson after the former Love Island star was pictured looking close with Essex in a series of viral images.

Viral Photos of Joey Essex Spark Fan Frenzy

While two future co-stars spending time together is hardly unusual, the perceived intimacy between the pair in these images drove the online storm. In one of the most popular pictures online, Essex can be seen leaning in to kiss McDermott on the forehead, an action that fans insist looks far from platonic.

The images originally surfaced on a TikTok account called TheLaughingDonkeyUK, but screenshots quickly made their way over to One Direction fan spaces on X, triggering a mix of disbelief and debate.

Although there is no official word on when this happened, the general consensus online is that the photos were captured over the weekend during a promotional event for the pair's new series.

Social Media Divided Over the Intimate Images

The backlash from online onlookers was immediate, with many bringing up the adage 'Once a cheater, always a cheater,' while others argued that the sheer proximity and body language in the photos pointed to something more serious. The drama also brought out the internet trolls, with some making jokes confusing Tomlinson's girlfriend with singer Zara Larsson, as other accounts began tracking the couple's digital footprints for signs of a sudden unfollow.

On the other side of the debate, plenty of people pushed back against the criticism, pointing out that the viral images are hardly concrete evidence of an affair. One user downplayed the drama by posting, 'When they said Zara had been unfaithful, I expected something more, not just a kiss on the cheek,' as another stepped in to note, 'They are just work friends.'

It is worth emphasising that all of these claims are entirely driven by online speculation and fan theories. As it stands, there has been no independent verification regarding the legitimacy of the viral photos or the allegations connected to them.

Past Infidelity Resurfaces

This isn't the first time McDermott's history has been under the microscope, following her highly publicised admission that she cheated on ex-boyfriend Sam Thompson. The drama unfolded in a famously emotional Made in Chelsea episode, which saw her break down in tears on a park bench as she apologised for sleeping with a music executive during her stint on The X Factor: Celebrity, branding her own behaviour at the time as completely selfish and immature.

Fallout and Breakup With Sam Thompson

During their confrontation, Thompson called her out directly, accusing her of only feeling guilty because she got caught, pointing out that she was still liking the guy's photos afterwards. Audiences weren't entirely convinced by her tears either, with many taking to social media to claim she was faking the breakdown because her eyes stayed completely dry.

McDermott later took to Instagram to issue a formal apology, stating that she didn't condone cheating and had made a massive mistake. While Thompson eventually took her back, insiders later claimed the relationship never truly moved past the betrayal, leading to their final breakup in late 2024.