Zara McDermott
Zara McDermott is a broadcaster and content creator.
Zara 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 Zara’s biggest passions is making documentaries. She has had major success with her films with the BBC, 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 Zara’s 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. Her films are being shown in schools across the country as part of PSHE lessons and in assemblies.
Zara’s work for young people has been recognised on several occasions and she was invited to Clarence House by the Duchess of Cornwall & Refuge charity to be recognised for her work. She also worked with the Duchess on a visit to a SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre). She has been working with the government and the Home Office on several campaigns to end violence against women and girls surrounding revenge porn and domestic abuse. So much so that she fronted the Naked Threat campaign with Refuge, and changed the law for victims of digital abuse by making it a criminal offence to threaten someone with sharing their private imagery. Zara 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 Zara also presented the entertainment show - Love In The Flesh on BBC3. A new innovative, inclusive dating series filmed in Greece where couples who have only ever dated online meet for the first time. Zara also achieved one of her childhood dreams where she appeared as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2023, reaching the much loved Halloween week.
