How Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott’s final TV appearance together nearly went horribly wrong

Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott’s last TV appearance as a couple didn’t exactly go to plan… (Picture: Getty)

Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott’s final-ever TV appearance as a couple almost went disastrously wrong… and there may or may not have been a weapon involved.

Allow Michael McIntyre to explain…

The podcaster, 32, and Love Island beauty, 28, are thought to have separated over the Christmas period after five years of dating.

Prior to their shock split, though, they filmed for Michael’s Big Show, which returns to BBC One this weekend with the hilarious segment, the Midnight Gameshow.

The feature involves the comedian rocking up at a celebrity’s house uninvited in, you guessed it, the middle of the night, all to play a series of games and challenges.

It’s common for the star involved – whether it be Alison Hammond or Bradley Walsh – to be utterly oblivious about what’s going on, with a relative usually handing Michael the keys to enter their home undetected.

The pair featured in Michael McIntyre’s Big Show (Picture: BBC)

The comedian intruded on their sleep for some midnight games (Picture: BBC)

However, he learnt the hard way with Sam and Zara that this comes with risks.

Appearing on tonight’s One Show, Michael revealed some behind-the-scenes secrets, also joking about the breakup: ‘They were together when I was in their bedroom!’

He told hosts Clara Amfo and Roman Kemp: ‘Normally, the partner knows and gives me the keys, so one of them is in on it. On this occasion, it was her (Zara’s) brother who gave me the keys, and neither of them knew I was going to wake them up, which was obviously a risk!’

Explaining that it was ‘a risk that backfired,’ Michael continued: ‘Unbeknownst to anyone, they have an internal lock in the bedroom – who has an internal lock on their bedroom door?

‘So, I get all the way to the bedroom door, and the door is locked, I can’t get in. And then I can hear them freaking out because they start to get a sense there are people outside the bedroom. They are totally freaking out!’

Sam and Zara ‘eventually’ opened the door, but Michael said: ‘It’s not in the show and I probably shouldn’t be saying it, but he had a weapon!’

Michael joked that he ‘could’ve died’ after things went horribly wrong (Picture: BBC)

Suggesting that the Made in Chelsea alum grabbed something to defend them from possible intruders, Michael declared: ‘I could’ve died on the Midnight Gameshow at the hands of Sam Thompson.’

‘But no, it was terrifying for them,’ he added earnestly.

Thankfully, the pair were still down to play some games for cameras despite Michael’s disruption, with the stand-up star then quipping: ‘They seemed fine when I left them!’

It’s believed Sam and Zara called it quits after a difficult year put a strain on their relationship, as they both now focus on different projects.

While 2023 Strictly star Zara has a clothing business to run and her own documentaries to film, Sam hosts the Staying Relevant podcast with Pete Wicks and recently returned from filming I’m A Celebrity… Unpacked in Australia.

It was previously claimed that it would be ‘rather awkward’ if bosses chose to air their Big Show segment after their separation.

Sam and Zara are thought to have split over Christmas (Picture: Instagram)

They were together for five years, but are thought to have hit a rough patch earlier in 2024 (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

However, neither party is ‘kicking up a stink’ as they ‘enjoyed it’ at the time.

A source added to The Sun: ‘But is rather embarrassing to think they’re going to have to watch themselves back on telly when they were still together.’

The One Show airs weekdays on BBC One.

Michael McIntyre’s Big Show returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer tomorrow night at 6:50pm.

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