An ex-civil servant will be dancing on your screens later this year.
Zara McDermott, a former Department for Education policy advisor who rose to fame on the hit TV show Love Island, has been announced as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.
McDermott first joined the civil service in the Department of Energy and Climate Change on a two-year apprenticeship in September 2015, later moving to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy before her final civil service destination at the DfE in 2017.
She took a 12-month career break from her role as a post-16 education policy advisor at DfE when she went on Love Island in 2018 and stated after the show finished that she would “love to” return to work in government once the year-break ended.
McDermott has not returned to the civil service, instead becoming a documentarian for BBC Three – where she has explored topics including revenge porn and eating disorders – and continuing to appear on various reality TV shows, with Strictly her latest venture.
But she has continued to work with government in another way, working alongside the Home Office on campaigns to end violence against women and girls, including fronting a campaign that helped changed the law for victims of digital abuse.
McDermott said in a statement: "I am so excited to be joining the world of Strictly! I grew up watching it every year with my nan and she was the biggest Strictly fan. We would dance around the house and I have such fond memories of that time in my life.
"I even remember the first ever series, and being mesmerised by all the beautiful dresses! I can’t wait to throw myself into this experience and start training. It’s going to be incredible."