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Zara McDermott

She/Her

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. After the major success of her first four films with the BBC, Revenge Porn, Uncovering Rape Culture, Disordered Eating, and her most recent Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge. 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 has recently been announced to feature in the 2023 lineup for Strictly Come Dancing (BBC).

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