GET TO KNOW ZARA MCDERMOTT

Out of the three shows you’ve been on, (Love Island, Made In Chelsea and Celebrity X-Factor), which one has been the most fun?
X Factor! Obviously, the island is about interpersonal relationships and yourself, and MIC is more about the fame – so, for me, as much as some people don’t see it, X Factor is about talent and passion. So, you could say I felt most fulfilled, doing that one.

Talking of singing, there are a few videos on your Instagram of you performing some of your favourite songs. Is a music career on the cards?
I wrote quite a lot of songs during lockdown – about an album's worth of music. I thought about releasing something because and I’d had interest from some labels, but my life is so crazy at the moment that I’m not quite ready. I think with music, you have to give it 150% because the industry itself is so hard to get into. There’s also that stigma of being a ‘TV girl’ trying to break into music, it’s definitely something I want to explore in a few months, though.

What do you like most about ASOS DESIGN Must-Haves?
I love the variety in this drop; I feel like I could pick anything for any of my friends – there’s so much to suit so many different styles. 

What was the last outfit you bought?
The last outfit I bought myself was actually from ASOS! It was a cropped cami top and a pair of COLLUSION joggers – I absolutely love them, I think they’re so comfy. I have a friend and we share loads of pairs of them between us. 

Do you have a hero piece in your closet?
I love check shirts. You can wear them in so many different ways. I often wear them with over-the-knee boots; I’ll throw them over a dress, or pair one with some denim shorts, a crop top and a pair of Converse.

Have you always shopped at ASOS?
I’m a self-confessed ASOS addict! It's my favourite brand, I’ve been shopping here for years and years – I spend a lot of money on there 😂 So, when I was asked to do this shoot, I felt very blessed to be a part of it.

With all the travelling you do, what are your top 5 travel makeup essentials?
An eyebrow pencil, mascara, a lip pencil, a tinted glossy lip balm and then just a bit of bronzer. I would say they are the essentials that I literally take everywhere.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?
One day I can be filming Made In Chelsea, then there will be a meeting and then the next day I could be on a shoot all day, then there could be another TV show to film and then Made In Chelsea again in the evening. Then I have content trips, they tend to happen every few weeks. I’m pretty much at 100 miles an hour, all the time. There’s no typical day in my life, it’s always different – I never know what I’m doing next.

What’s been the biggest change to your life since appearing on television?
Probably the lack of routine. Everything is quite last-minute, and everything happens really quickly in this industry. Shoots get booked two days before I’m meant to be shooting – sometimes I might get told the night before! The turnaround on Instagram content is usually really tight as well. Don’t get me wrong, these opportunities are incredible, but some weeks I don’t even have a day off. There was some trolling at the start too, but I’m over that now.

How did you deal with the trolling you received?
I just didn’t understand why people would dedicate their own time to it when they don’t even know me. Now, I’ve just kind of grown this second skin where I’ve learnt that the world isn’t all sunshine and roses. Some people are horrible, and I’ve learnt that it says way more about them than it does about me. I’ve learnt to accept it rather than try to understand it.