Who did Zara McDermott cheat on Sam Thompson with? Inside the Love Island star’s infidelity scandal with an associate of Simon Cowell

The shocking news of Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott’s divorce came this week when it was revealed that the entertainment power couple had called time on their five-year relationship.

The end of their relationship comes after Zara was involved in a cheating scandal early in their relationship – from which they were apparently never able to recover.

The former Love Island star, 28, cheated on him with a music manager five years ago while appearing on the X Factor and their subsequent farewell and then reunion was documented on the next season of Made In Chelsea.

The affair was with music boss Brahim Fouradi – who had previously worked for Simon Cowell as A&R director for Syco.

They had been dating for 16 months when Sam discovered what had happened between the former Love Island star and Brahim.

Zara appeared on the Celebrity

So here, MailOnline takes a look at who Brahim Fouradi is and the fraud scandal that unfolded:

Who is Brahim Fouradi?

Brahim is well known in the music industry and due to his extensive experience he has been involved in talent shows such as The X Factor over the years.

He has since left Syco and now lives and works in the Netherlands.

Before Brahim and his brother Mohamed started working behind the scenes, they first made music themselves as duo Fouradi from 2005-2012.

He then founded a management agency with his brother that represented artists such as Bilal Wahib, Frenna, Josylvio, Kevin, Lijpe, Zoë Tauran and hit producer and songwriter Project Money (Carlos Vrolijk).

Before working as an artist manager, Brahim held a role as A&R Consultant at Sony Music and was Head of Music at X Factor NL.

He then joined Cowell’s Syco Entertainment, where he was appointed International A&R Manager of Syco and was involved in the X Factor UK, Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent.

Ultimately, Brahim was promoted to A&R Director at Syco Entertainment.

In addition to being a songwriter and artist manager, Brahim is currently active as A&R Director at the major record label Universal Music Group.

When did the affair take place?

Sam, 32, initially ended his relationship with Zara following her cheating in September 2019.

The subsequent series Made In Chelsea documented the aftermath when they eventually reconciled.

Sources close to the couple said this week that Sam’s family never fully forgave Zara after her affair, despite their attempts to welcome her back into the fold.

The Made in Chelsea star’s protective sister, Louise, 34, was the most outspoken in her disapproval of Zara, asking her brother why he took her back but agreeing, for his sake, to give her a second chance.

But the couple’s relationship didn’t last – and they have now officially cut ties, just over five years after her affair.

The news came as no surprise to sources close to the reality stars, who believed they were doing the right thing for sticking it out for as long as they had following Zara’s infidelity.

A friend told MailOnline: ‘Zara and Sam’s relationship never felt like it would last long term.

‘They never really recovered from Zara’s cheating, most couples would have lasted as long as they did after that.

‘Zara had something to make up for, especially with Louise. She really wasn’t happy when Sam took her back.

‘But she managed to make it work and they had great times together again, but it felt like it would never really get serious.

“They postponed the inevitable for months because they had grown apart and their lives had become very different.”

Another friend described Zara and Sam as an ‘odd couple’ and said they didn’t think the pair were very suitable.

Did Sam and Zara stay together?

After the affair came to light, they broke up but eventually reunited.

Zara spoke to Jamie Laing about her infidelity while appearing on Made In Chelsea in October 2022: ‘When it happened I really thought Sam and I were going to split, inevitably. I thought we were hanging on by a little thread and we were going to break up.”

Weeks earlier, Zara issued a groveling apology when her affair came to light almost a year after she appeared on the show.

She wrote on Instagram Stories: ‘A big mistake I made a year ago recently came to light and I want to face it. I will not tolerate infidelity and I made a huge mistake at a time in my life when I was extremely selfish and immature.

She continued, “I believe I have learned so much from my mistake. I want to apologize to my Sam for everything I did to him, for the pain, the shame, the anger and the hurt. All I want to do is make this right and I think the least he deserves is for me to be honest with myself and all of you. I love you Sam. Forever x’.’

In November 2020, Sam took Zara back after her sincere apology and in January 2021, the newly reunited couple defied coronavirus rules by flying to the Maldives and later moving into Sam’s Chelsea home together.

Why did Sam take Zara back?

Sam previously explained why he took her back: “I believe in forgiveness. I understand the context – and I don’t think you can move forward in any way unless you forgive.

‘Forgiveness allows you to heal. You can only heal if you forgive the other person and get over it.’

He added: “I would definitely say that no matter what happens, always try to forgive and you will feel better about yourself – it’s bloody easier said than done, but that’s what you have to strive for.

“The people I care about, who care about me, will know that we are all human. We are all human and you cannot grow and evolve and become a better person without making mistakes along the way.

‘To show that on TV almost makes you human and makes you more recognisable.’

On the work front, the pair have seen their respective careers grow since getting back together, which the friends said was another major factor in why they stayed together for so long.

Sam was crowned King of the Jungle in 2023 after winning I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and Zara became the first Love Island star to land a spot on Strictly Come Dancing that same year.

She finished 10th, but her time on the show was later overshadowed by her partner Graziano Di Prima, 30, who was kicked out of the series for verbally and physically abusing Zara after she complained about his behaviour.

Zara, who has also made several documentaries for the BBC, joined Sam in the audience this year during the series as they supported their good friend Pete Wicks, 37.

What were the signs that they had finally broken up for good?

Just weeks after being spotted together in the Strictly audience, the couple finally made time for their romance after spending the New Year apart.

Sam celebrated New Year’s Eve by partying with his ex-Made In Chelsea colleagues Reza Amiri-Garroussi, 36, and Josh Patterson, 34, at London’s Kensington Roof Gardens, while Zara spent the evening at home with her cats.

They also had separate Christmases after Sam volunteered for charity and Zara stayed with her immediate family in Upminster, Essex.

A source close to the couple told MailOnline: ‘Sam and Zara have ended their relationship. It was an incredibly difficult decision for them to break up, they still care about each other and have a lot of love for each other.

‘But after a tough year of hard work on their romance, they have parted ways and will focus on their individual careers until 2025.

“There has been no scandal or falling out between them, it’s just the result of a difficult year in which they both had to spend a lot of time on their own projects.”