1 00:00:02,790 --> 00:00:06,150 Zara McDermott: I've not been around these roads in years. Where did 2 00:00:06,150 --> 00:00:09,810 Zara McDermott: my love for TV begin? Where is it? Oh, this 3 00:00:09,810 --> 00:00:12,420 Zara McDermott: is so fun. Then there it is. See? That's where I 4 00:00:12,420 --> 00:00:13,590 Zara McDermott: started to be like, " Wow." 5 00:00:13,980 --> 00:00:15,660 Alex Legouix: What feelings are evoked? 6 00:00:15,660 --> 00:00:16,020 Zara McDermott: Fear. 7 00:00:17,970 --> 00:00:18,209 Alex Legouix: Really? 8 00:00:18,210 --> 00:00:18,630 Zara McDermott: Honesty. It really is. 9 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,479 Alex Legouix: Welcome to Romford Town Centre for this episode of Show 10 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,260 Alex Legouix: On the Road with the very inspiring Zara McDermott. From 11 00:00:31,260 --> 00:00:34,830 Alex Legouix: policy advisor at the Department for Education, to Love Island 12 00:00:34,830 --> 00:00:39,180 Alex Legouix: and reality TV, Zara has explored a number of career 13 00:00:39,180 --> 00:00:42,150 Alex Legouix: paths, all of which have led her to become the 14 00:00:42,150 --> 00:00:46,169 Alex Legouix: media personality she is today. Brought to you by Auto 15 00:00:46,170 --> 00:00:50,760 Alex Legouix: Trader, the UK's largest automotive platform. This is Show On 16 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,390 Alex Legouix: the Road, taking celebrities on a whistle- stop tour of 17 00:00:54,390 --> 00:00:57,870 Alex Legouix: the places which helped shape them to discover the actual 18 00:00:57,930 --> 00:01:01,920 Alex Legouix: real roads to their success. On today's road trip, we're 19 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,209 Alex Legouix: traveling with Zara to her hometown of Upminster, exploring the 20 00:01:06,209 --> 00:01:11,010 Alex Legouix: minefields of influencer culture, her love of making TV, as well 21 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,060 Alex Legouix: as her passion for education. I'm Alex Legouix, about to 22 00:01:15,060 --> 00:01:18,959 Alex Legouix: pull over in a Hyundai i10, a car she'll already 23 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:23,130 Alex Legouix: be very familiar with. And there is Zara. 24 00:01:27,630 --> 00:01:31,890 Zara McDermott: Hi. Thank you for picking me up from here. 25 00:01:31,950 --> 00:01:36,270 Alex Legouix: My absolute pleasure. In the Hyundai i10. 26 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:39,569 Zara McDermott: I'm obsessed with this car. It's nostalgic for me. Brings 27 00:01:39,569 --> 00:01:41,699 Zara McDermott: back good memories. I actually passed my test- 28 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:41,761 Alex Legouix: Oh, did you? 29 00:01:41,761 --> 00:01:44,819 Zara McDermott: ... in a Hyundai i10, yeah. In my mum's car, and we shared 30 00:01:44,819 --> 00:01:46,230 Zara McDermott: it for a few years, yeah. 31 00:01:46,230 --> 00:01:46,290 Alex Legouix: Oh. 32 00:01:46,290 --> 00:01:48,540 Zara McDermott: So, yeah. Memories. 33 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:49,530 Alex Legouix: Nice. 34 00:01:49,590 --> 00:01:51,510 Zara McDermott: I'm really excited. I'm sorry to make you come to 35 00:01:51,510 --> 00:01:52,710 Zara McDermott: Romford to pick me up. 36 00:01:53,100 --> 00:01:54,570 Alex Legouix: I've never been to Romford. 37 00:01:54,570 --> 00:01:54,571 Zara McDermott: You've never been to Romford? 38 00:01:54,571 --> 00:01:57,390 Alex Legouix: I've obviously heard about it, seen a little bit of 39 00:01:57,390 --> 00:02:00,270 Alex Legouix: TOWIE, all that sort of stuff, but I've never been. 40 00:02:00,630 --> 00:02:02,641 Zara McDermott: I love it because it's where I grew up. 41 00:02:02,641 --> 00:02:02,642 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 42 00:02:02,641 --> 00:02:05,400 Zara McDermott: I've got so many lovely memories of coming here with my 43 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,760 Zara McDermott: friends. Went on a few dates at the bowling alley, 44 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:09,150 Zara McDermott: you know? 45 00:02:09,150 --> 00:02:09,989 Alex Legouix: Amazing. 46 00:02:10,019 --> 00:02:11,668 Zara McDermott: This is my get- up when I was younger. 47 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:13,320 Alex Legouix: You happy? Should we get going? 48 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:22,470 Zara McDermott: Yeah, let's get going. Oh, we're about to go past Atik. 49 00:02:22,860 --> 00:02:23,550 Alex Legouix: Oh, brilliant. 50 00:02:23,550 --> 00:02:24,060 Zara McDermott: Formerly Fiction. 51 00:02:24,060 --> 00:02:27,750 Alex Legouix: Okay. I guess, does that represent old you, or do 52 00:02:27,750 --> 00:02:28,709 Alex Legouix: you still like clubbing? 53 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,280 Zara McDermott: No, I do not like clubbing at all. And I never really 54 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:36,090 Zara McDermott: have. But Upminster where I grew up, it's almost like a 55 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,389 Zara McDermott: little village, and all of us would kind of do 56 00:02:39,389 --> 00:02:41,910 Zara McDermott: the same thing on the weekends. We would go to 57 00:02:41,910 --> 00:02:44,790 Zara McDermott: Romford and we would go to Yates. There was a 58 00:02:44,790 --> 00:02:49,889 Zara McDermott: Yates bar and then we would go to Atik, which was Fiction, every 59 00:02:49,889 --> 00:02:50,491 Zara McDermott: Saturday, really. 60 00:02:50,490 --> 00:02:50,910 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 61 00:02:50,970 --> 00:02:53,340 Zara McDermott: Sometimes Friday and Saturday and it was just like the 62 00:02:53,340 --> 00:02:54,030 Zara McDermott: done thing. 63 00:02:54,060 --> 00:02:54,389 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 64 00:02:54,570 --> 00:02:58,230 Zara McDermott: So I would go there quite a lot with my friends and my 65 00:02:58,230 --> 00:03:01,290 Zara McDermott: boyfriend at the time. We would go probably too much. 66 00:03:01,290 --> 00:03:04,530 Zara McDermott: And I remember the sticky floors. I wonder what it 67 00:03:04,530 --> 00:03:06,060 Zara McDermott: looks like now on the inside. I'd love to see. 68 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:07,351 Alex Legouix: No, you definitely wouldn't. It would be gross. 69 00:03:07,351 --> 00:03:13,200 Zara McDermott: Where is it? Oh, this is so fun. Then there it is. 70 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,240 Zara McDermott: See? I've not really sold it very well, have I? 71 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:16,440 Zara McDermott: Look at it. It's just on a corner. 72 00:03:16,470 --> 00:03:19,500 Alex Legouix: Wow. I mean, yeah, it's not looking the most salubrious 73 00:03:19,500 --> 00:03:20,730 Alex Legouix: of all places. 74 00:03:20,730 --> 00:03:20,731 Zara McDermott: It's not very luxurious. 75 00:03:20,731 --> 00:03:25,350 Alex Legouix: It's like a garage door. I quite like the graffiti that they've got up the top. 76 00:03:25,350 --> 00:03:27,600 Zara McDermott: Yeah, I mean it's really gives it some character, doesn't it? 77 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,330 Alex Legouix: Yeah. Would there be a long queue out? Paint the 78 00:03:30,330 --> 00:03:31,350 Alex Legouix: picture for me. 79 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,490 Zara McDermott: It's half past 11. You've had a couple of drinks 80 00:03:35,490 --> 00:03:38,220 Zara McDermott: in the bar across the road, and it's now time 81 00:03:38,220 --> 00:03:40,950 Zara McDermott: to take on Fiction, and every time I'd go in, 82 00:03:41,100 --> 00:03:43,560 Zara McDermott: the same song would be playing. It would be like the... 83 00:03:43,740 --> 00:03:45,480 MUSIC: House every weekend. 84 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:50,940 Zara McDermott: You know that one? Every single... Every single time. But yeah, that's 85 00:03:50,940 --> 00:03:52,800 Zara McDermott: like my late teenage years. 86 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:53,220 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 87 00:03:53,460 --> 00:03:57,780 Zara McDermott: It was a free for all as well trying to get taxis and stuff home afterwards. 88 00:03:57,780 --> 00:04:01,080 Zara McDermott: But I have a lot of fond memories that I really enjoyed 89 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,960 Zara McDermott: myself in those years. I was very carefree and just 90 00:04:04,260 --> 00:04:05,400 Zara McDermott: living my best life. 91 00:04:05,490 --> 00:04:07,110 Alex Legouix: What sort of teenager were you? 92 00:04:07,170 --> 00:04:11,160 Zara McDermott: I mean, look, I went through a lot of stuff when 93 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,100 Zara McDermott: I was at school, and it made me quite shy 94 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:16,890 Zara McDermott: and reserved, and I would kind of just go and 95 00:04:16,890 --> 00:04:18,690 Zara McDermott: do the things I felt like I needed to do 96 00:04:18,690 --> 00:04:20,460 Zara McDermott: at the time to kind of fit in. One of 97 00:04:20,460 --> 00:04:24,060 Zara McDermott: those things was definitely going to that nightclub regularly with 98 00:04:24,060 --> 00:04:28,289 Zara McDermott: my friends because I desperately wanted a group of people 99 00:04:28,290 --> 00:04:29,940 Zara McDermott: to go out with because I never really had that 100 00:04:29,940 --> 00:04:32,640 Zara McDermott: in school. And then I think when I got to about 18 and 101 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,620 Zara McDermott: I got my first job, I got an apprenticeship in 102 00:04:34,620 --> 00:04:38,310 Zara McDermott: the government. I started to actually find my identity, come 103 00:04:38,310 --> 00:04:40,320 Zara McDermott: out of my shell a bit, do more things, go 104 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,450 Zara McDermott: out with my friends. But yeah, when I was younger 105 00:04:42,450 --> 00:04:50,219 Zara McDermott: I was a lot more reserved, I think, for sure. Oh my gosh, my 106 00:04:50,220 --> 00:04:53,010 Zara McDermott: old orthodontist, where I got my braces done, is just around here. 107 00:04:53,010 --> 00:04:53,011 Alex Legouix: Ah. 108 00:04:53,011 --> 00:04:58,380 Zara McDermott: I've not been around these roads in, actually, years. 109 00:05:03,570 --> 00:05:06,659 Alex Legouix: I'd like to delve into the social media side a 110 00:05:06,660 --> 00:05:10,110 Alex Legouix: little bit more later, but the other way that nightclubs 111 00:05:10,140 --> 00:05:14,279 Alex Legouix: are significant in your story is, of course, they are 112 00:05:14,339 --> 00:05:16,020 Alex Legouix: the lifeblood of Ibiza- 113 00:05:16,050 --> 00:05:16,051 Zara McDermott: Yes. 114 00:05:16,051 --> 00:05:19,770 Alex Legouix: ... which is the focus of one of your many 115 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:21,991 Alex Legouix: very gritty documentaries that you've made. 116 00:05:21,991 --> 00:05:22,529 Zara McDermott: Thank you. 117 00:05:23,670 --> 00:05:25,710 Alex Legouix: Tell us a little bit about this journey that you've 118 00:05:25,710 --> 00:05:27,900 Alex Legouix: been on, the journalistic side of yourself. 119 00:05:28,350 --> 00:05:31,440 Zara McDermott: Yeah, so I mean, what's weird, I was actually thinking 120 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,529 Zara McDermott: about this yesterday, like where did my love for TV 121 00:05:34,529 --> 00:05:39,000 Zara McDermott: begin? And I remember my first TV experience was obviously 122 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,920 Zara McDermott: Love Island. I was more fascinated and more gripped by 123 00:05:43,950 --> 00:05:47,279 Zara McDermott: the outsides of the villa, and how the production worked, 124 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,620 Zara McDermott: and how the gallery worked, and stuff like that as 125 00:05:49,620 --> 00:05:52,950 Zara McDermott: opposed to being actually in there. That's where I started 126 00:05:52,950 --> 00:05:55,739 Zara McDermott: to be like, " Wow," like, TV is really interesting and 127 00:05:55,740 --> 00:05:58,589 Zara McDermott: you can tell a story and convey a message in 128 00:05:58,589 --> 00:06:03,060 Zara McDermott: a really visual, creative way. So when I got approached 129 00:06:03,180 --> 00:06:06,870 Zara McDermott: to create a kind of taste to take pilot of 130 00:06:06,870 --> 00:06:09,480 Zara McDermott: my first film, which went on to be Revenge Porn, 131 00:06:10,020 --> 00:06:12,420 Zara McDermott: I was like, " Okay, wow. I feel like I'm ready 132 00:06:12,420 --> 00:06:15,690 Zara McDermott: to tell the story." And we started developing that in 133 00:06:15,930 --> 00:06:20,940 Zara McDermott: May 2019. We had a commission by Christmas 2019, so 134 00:06:20,940 --> 00:06:21,750 Zara McDermott: it took a while. 135 00:06:21,750 --> 00:06:21,839 Alex Legouix: Right. 136 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,260 Zara McDermott: And then I've been making films literally ever since then. 137 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,250 Zara McDermott: That was like the coolest kind of Christmas present ever. 138 00:06:30,330 --> 00:06:30,330 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 139 00:06:30,330 --> 00:06:32,310 Zara McDermott: But I don't think I really knew what I was fully getting myself in 140 00:06:32,310 --> 00:06:35,580 Zara McDermott: for in terms of the emotional toll that it took 141 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,990 Zara McDermott: on me diving into my own story as well. It wasn't something 142 00:06:39,990 --> 00:06:43,800 Zara McDermott: that I'd really explored. I was a victim for revenge 143 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,830 Zara McDermott: porn when I was 14, so going back in time 144 00:06:46,830 --> 00:06:49,920 Zara McDermott: and going into that was really emotionally kind of like a 145 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,770 Zara McDermott: lot. But then it was the best thing that ever 146 00:06:52,770 --> 00:06:54,540 Zara McDermott: happened to me as well because it led me to 147 00:06:54,540 --> 00:06:57,750 Zara McDermott: become an actual documentary maker now, and I can't believe 148 00:06:57,750 --> 00:07:01,020 Zara McDermott: I'm actually saying it because it doesn't sometimes feel real. 149 00:07:01,350 --> 00:07:04,710 Alex Legouix: What do you think that you've learnt over the time 150 00:07:04,710 --> 00:07:06,238 Alex Legouix: then about journalism? 151 00:07:07,140 --> 00:07:11,160 Zara McDermott: I think that for me, it's been about learning so 152 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,940 Zara McDermott: much behind the scenes and not necessarily gloating to the world and being like, " 153 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,820 Zara McDermott: Guys, just to let you all know, I'm learning how to be 154 00:07:17,820 --> 00:07:19,950 Zara McDermott: a producer. I'm learning how to use a camera, I'm 155 00:07:19,950 --> 00:07:22,290 Zara McDermott: learning how to do this." But I do that all behind 156 00:07:22,290 --> 00:07:25,021 Zara McDermott: the scenes and I do work really, really hard, you know? 157 00:07:25,021 --> 00:07:25,140 Alex Legouix: Mm-hmm. 158 00:07:25,140 --> 00:07:28,290 Zara McDermott: I develop my own films. I pitch them to my 159 00:07:28,290 --> 00:07:31,140 Zara McDermott: team at the BBC. I go into the office and 160 00:07:31,140 --> 00:07:36,030 Zara McDermott: do pre- production, help with casting some contribs, and I'm 161 00:07:36,030 --> 00:07:40,200 Zara McDermott: doing my kind of independent training to actually be able 162 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:41,670 Zara McDermott: to be a proper journalist. 163 00:07:41,820 --> 00:07:41,910 Alex Legouix: Right. 164 00:07:41,910 --> 00:07:44,520 Zara McDermott: And it's taught me so much about journalism in terms 165 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,800 Zara McDermott: of how to make a good program, and how important 166 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,350 Zara McDermott: the edit is, and the production and taking care of 167 00:07:49,380 --> 00:07:53,550 Zara McDermott: contributors, especially when you're talking about difficult subjects. But at 168 00:07:53,550 --> 00:07:57,210 Zara McDermott: the same time it's also about earning your stripes, learning 169 00:07:57,210 --> 00:07:57,840 Zara McDermott: your place. 170 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:58,170 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 171 00:07:58,170 --> 00:08:01,020 Zara McDermott: You don't get something for nothing, really. And I don't 172 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,450 Zara McDermott: take any of that for granted. I don't think just 173 00:08:03,450 --> 00:08:05,760 Zara McDermott: because I may have a fair amount of followers on 174 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,340 Zara McDermott: Instagram does not mean that I'm any more entitled to 175 00:08:08,340 --> 00:08:10,680 Zara McDermott: this job over someone else. So for me, it's about 176 00:08:10,980 --> 00:08:14,340 Zara McDermott: proving myself in that sense and making sure I do the 177 00:08:14,340 --> 00:08:15,840 Zara McDermott: groundwork as well. 178 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:23,070 Alex Legouix: Yeah. Can you help us get to your first home? 179 00:08:23,310 --> 00:08:26,400 Zara McDermott: Yeah. So basically, if you go right, and then an 180 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,370 Zara McDermott: immediate left down that little side road, you can see that. 181 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:29,790 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 182 00:08:31,980 --> 00:08:34,740 Zara McDermott: God, I honestly have not been here in years. Ah. 183 00:08:35,100 --> 00:08:38,790 Zara McDermott: Yeah, this is it. I need to call my mum and ask her which 184 00:08:38,790 --> 00:08:41,670 Zara McDermott: number we lived at. I'm pretty sure it's like one 185 00:08:41,670 --> 00:08:44,099 Zara McDermott: of these. I'm going to say it's that one, the 186 00:08:44,190 --> 00:08:46,200 Zara McDermott: white one with the pillars outside. 187 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:46,380 Zara's Mom: Hello. 188 00:08:50,250 --> 00:08:53,100 Zara McDermott: Hello. Just quickly, what number Westland Avenue did we live at? 189 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:54,540 Zara's Mom: Number ( beep). 190 00:08:54,540 --> 00:08:55,650 Zara McDermott: Oh, I was right. 191 00:08:59,490 --> 00:08:59,581 Alex Legouix: You were right. Thanks, Mum. 192 00:08:59,581 --> 00:09:02,550 Zara's Mom: Yeah, we bought that. So it was a repossession. It was very run down. We just 193 00:09:02,970 --> 00:09:04,679 Zara's Mom: did it up a bit and then lived there a 194 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,660 Zara's Mom: few years and moved to Upminster after that, didn't we? 195 00:09:06,660 --> 00:09:09,000 Zara McDermott: Yeah, I was actually only two when we moved out 196 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,130 Zara McDermott: of this one, so the memories are a little bit 197 00:09:11,130 --> 00:09:11,880 Zara McDermott: hazy back then. 198 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:11,881 Alex Legouix: Yeah, you're not expected to know about back then. 199 00:09:11,881 --> 00:09:11,939 Zara's Mom: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. 200 00:09:14,820 --> 00:09:15,900 Zara McDermott: Right. All good. Thanks, Mum. 201 00:09:16,140 --> 00:09:16,891 Zara's Mom: Oh, that's all right. Bye. 202 00:09:16,891 --> 00:09:16,891 Zara McDermott: Bye. 203 00:09:16,891 --> 00:09:17,310 Zara's Mom: Bye. 204 00:09:18,090 --> 00:09:21,390 Alex Legouix: I love that. So for our listeners, we are looking 205 00:09:21,390 --> 00:09:26,700 Alex Legouix: at a two up, two down white house with these 206 00:09:26,850 --> 00:09:30,390 Alex Legouix: slightly, slightly aged, over the top- 207 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:30,481 Zara McDermott: Pillars. 208 00:09:30,481 --> 00:09:33,570 Alex Legouix: ... pillars outside the front. Who did you live here 209 00:09:33,570 --> 00:09:35,819 Alex Legouix: with then? Your parents and your brother? 210 00:09:35,910 --> 00:09:38,250 Zara McDermott: Just my mum and dad. So my brother wasn't born when 211 00:09:38,250 --> 00:09:41,160 Zara McDermott: we lived in this house, but yeah, this is the 212 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:42,901 Zara McDermott: first house that I came home to. 213 00:09:42,901 --> 00:09:47,939 Alex Legouix: What have your mum and dad told you about you from 214 00:09:48,090 --> 00:09:49,020 Alex Legouix: that period? 215 00:09:49,110 --> 00:09:51,809 Zara McDermott: I was a really irritating baby. 216 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:53,819 Alex Legouix: Why? 217 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,881 Zara McDermott: I had colic really bad. I still can't burp, you know? 218 00:09:56,881 --> 00:09:57,151 Alex Legouix: Oh, really? 219 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:01,800 Zara McDermott: I physically, I have no ability to burp. And I 220 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,500 Zara McDermott: was very grisly and very kind of hard to please 221 00:10:04,500 --> 00:10:06,750 Zara McDermott: baby. And then when she had my brother, she was like, " 222 00:10:07,050 --> 00:10:09,030 Zara McDermott: Wow, this is what babies are supposed to be." 223 00:10:09,030 --> 00:10:11,370 Alex Legouix: How funny. Normally, it's the other way round. 224 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,590 Zara McDermott: Yeah, I know. No, my brother was a little angel 225 00:10:13,590 --> 00:10:15,839 Zara McDermott: compared to me. Obviously, I couldn't help it. I was obviously 226 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,000 Zara McDermott: in a lot of discomfort when I was a newborn, 227 00:10:18,270 --> 00:10:21,630 Zara McDermott: but yeah, I was a bit of a nightmare, really. 228 00:10:21,630 --> 00:10:22,830 Zara McDermott: I threw them in at the deep end. 229 00:10:22,950 --> 00:10:23,130 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 230 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:24,569 Zara McDermott: I was their test. That's what I think. 231 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,010 Alex Legouix: So loads of us know you from Love Island. 232 00:10:29,370 --> 00:10:33,780 Zara McDermott: I wasn't very memorable in Love Island. I barely spoke. I had no 233 00:10:33,780 --> 00:10:36,780 Zara McDermott: idea that there was something called an edit. I thought 234 00:10:36,780 --> 00:10:39,960 Zara McDermott: that everything I did would be on TV. So I 235 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,420 Zara McDermott: would generally get up in the morning, take my mic 236 00:10:42,420 --> 00:10:44,190 Zara McDermott: off and do 50 lengths in the pool. 237 00:10:44,490 --> 00:10:44,578 Alex Legouix: Oh, wow. 238 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:48,330 Zara McDermott: Yeah, because I loved swimming. I was just doing my 239 00:10:48,330 --> 00:10:50,820 Zara McDermott: swimming back and forth and I didn't really speak to 240 00:10:50,820 --> 00:10:53,520 Zara McDermott: many people, and I didn't understand that people might not 241 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,800 Zara McDermott: like me, like people might think I was boring. 242 00:10:55,890 --> 00:10:55,920 Alex Legouix: Oh, right. 243 00:10:56,040 --> 00:11:00,120 Zara McDermott: I generally had no conception or understanding of how people 244 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,850 Zara McDermott: may perceive me. I had no worries about how people 245 00:11:02,850 --> 00:11:05,640 Zara McDermott: would perceive me. I was the most naive person walking 246 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,610 Zara McDermott: into it. I think I'd honestly lived such a sheltered 247 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:13,050 Zara McDermott: life before and I just didn't really have a full 248 00:11:13,050 --> 00:11:17,550 Zara McDermott: understanding of what I was doing. I didn't have a 249 00:11:17,550 --> 00:11:20,160 Zara McDermott: game plan or anything. I was wandering around. As I 250 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,230 Zara McDermott: said, I was doing my lengths. I made myself some 251 00:11:22,230 --> 00:11:27,179 Zara McDermott: breakfast, got myself a hot chocolate, was doing my makeup, 252 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:32,040 Zara McDermott: choosing my bikini. I literally thought I was on a holiday. I thought I was on holiday. I 253 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:33,990 Zara McDermott: was also very overwhelmed. I was a bit like, " This is a bit 254 00:11:33,990 --> 00:11:36,390 Zara McDermott: weird." All these people, very big characters, and I'm not a 255 00:11:36,390 --> 00:11:39,600 Zara McDermott: very big character. I'm quite reserved. So I didn't say 256 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,400 Zara McDermott: a word to anyone and they were all in the 257 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,970 Zara McDermott: gallery going, "Is she all right? Is she okay? Does anyone..." And then 258 00:11:45,450 --> 00:11:46,949 Zara McDermott: I remember a producer came in and was like, " Are 259 00:11:46,950 --> 00:11:49,590 Zara McDermott: you okay?" I was like, " Yeah, I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine, 260 00:11:49,590 --> 00:11:52,590 Zara McDermott: thanks." And they're thinking, " She's not speaking. Why is she not speaking?" 261 00:11:54,660 --> 00:11:55,170 Alex Legouix: That's brilliant. 262 00:11:55,290 --> 00:11:55,290 Zara McDermott: It's funny. 263 00:11:55,290 --> 00:11:57,210 Alex Legouix: Because in hindsight, you must look back on that and 264 00:11:57,210 --> 00:12:00,000 Alex Legouix: be like, " That's not going to make great TV." 265 00:12:00,300 --> 00:12:03,120 Zara McDermott: Exactly. To be honest, I really initially didn't want to 266 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:07,410 Zara McDermott: do it. I got scouted on Instagram, and I turned it 267 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,010 Zara McDermott: down, and then they were like, " Come in and do an interview." And I was thinking, " 268 00:12:11,010 --> 00:12:14,250 Zara McDermott: Oh, there's no way they're going to want me." I'm 269 00:12:14,250 --> 00:12:18,300 Zara McDermott: like a boring 21- year- old. I don't really go 270 00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:22,410 Zara McDermott: out much. I work in the government. I'm very boring. I'm not 271 00:12:22,410 --> 00:12:26,130 Zara McDermott: a big personality. I'm not a confrontational person at all. In 272 00:12:26,130 --> 00:12:29,400 Zara McDermott: fact, if anyone confronts me with anything, I cry. There's 273 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,800 Zara McDermott: no way I'm going to be good television. I knew 274 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,410 Zara McDermott: it. They cast me anyway and I got it, and 275 00:12:34,410 --> 00:12:37,710 Zara McDermott: I remember being like, " What? What? How? What? Why? How have 276 00:12:37,710 --> 00:12:40,199 Zara McDermott: I got this? This is just impossible." And I kind of 277 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,660 Zara McDermott: went through the process because I thought, " There's no way 278 00:12:42,660 --> 00:12:44,490 Zara McDermott: they're ever going to cast me." And then when I got the 279 00:12:44,490 --> 00:12:46,920 Zara McDermott: call, I remember being like, " Oh, I actually have to do it now." 280 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:46,921 Alex Legouix: Amazing. 281 00:12:46,921 --> 00:12:49,200 Zara McDermott: But yeah, it was crazy. 282 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:53,309 Alex Legouix: You touched on just there what you were doing prior to 283 00:12:53,309 --> 00:12:55,920 Alex Legouix: Love Island. So for those of you who don't know, 284 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,420 Alex Legouix: tell us a little bit more about what you were 285 00:12:57,420 --> 00:12:58,380 Alex Legouix: doing before that. 286 00:12:58,410 --> 00:13:03,510 Zara McDermott: Yeah, so after I finished school, I didn't really want 287 00:13:03,510 --> 00:13:06,330 Zara McDermott: to go to university. I got really good A- levels. So 288 00:13:06,330 --> 00:13:10,469 Zara McDermott: I worked in climate change for two years and I 289 00:13:10,620 --> 00:13:15,059 Zara McDermott: desperately wanted to go into education because I actually wanted to 290 00:13:15,059 --> 00:13:17,370 Zara McDermott: be a primary school teacher. That was always my dream. And I was like, " 291 00:13:17,670 --> 00:13:20,910 Zara McDermott: Maybe I'll give this apprenticeship a go and then I'll 292 00:13:20,910 --> 00:13:23,490 Zara McDermott: see whether I still want to be a teacher." If I 293 00:13:23,610 --> 00:13:27,360 Zara McDermott: maybe working in the policy behind the scenes part of education 294 00:13:27,540 --> 00:13:30,090 Zara McDermott: will be where I'll find my feet and that part 295 00:13:30,090 --> 00:13:31,621 Zara McDermott: of it, so where did I- 296 00:13:31,621 --> 00:13:34,590 Alex Legouix: Where did that belief in the education system come from? 297 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,439 Zara McDermott: I wanted to be a midwife from, as one of 298 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,740 Zara McDermott: my first memories, is wanting to be a midwife. And 299 00:13:40,740 --> 00:13:42,690 Zara McDermott: then I think when I grew older, I used to 300 00:13:42,870 --> 00:13:48,449 Zara McDermott: volunteer in schools and help children who had slight learning difficulties. 301 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,570 Zara McDermott: So I used to go every couple of weeks and 302 00:13:51,570 --> 00:13:54,059 Zara McDermott: spend a few hours in the local primary schools and 303 00:13:54,059 --> 00:13:58,050 Zara McDermott: just help support the younger children who were struggling in 304 00:13:58,050 --> 00:14:01,290 Zara McDermott: class, and I found a real fulfillment for that. I 305 00:14:01,290 --> 00:14:04,860 Zara McDermott: absolutely loved it. I would literally be so excited to 306 00:14:04,860 --> 00:14:07,890 Zara McDermott: go and help these children. And I realized I think I 307 00:14:08,220 --> 00:14:10,860 Zara McDermott: had a bit of a gift of talking to children 308 00:14:11,220 --> 00:14:13,199 Zara McDermott: and it made me realize I really want to work 309 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,090 Zara McDermott: in education. I would think I'd be a really good primary school 310 00:14:15,090 --> 00:14:18,330 Zara McDermott: teacher. That's where I felt like everything worked for me. 311 00:14:18,660 --> 00:14:21,240 Zara McDermott: So yeah, I kind of got myself into the education 312 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:24,990 Zara McDermott: side of things in policy in the government, but I 313 00:14:24,990 --> 00:14:27,540 Zara McDermott: basically was so desperate to get into the department, that 314 00:14:27,540 --> 00:14:31,290 Zara McDermott: I took any job. So I applied for so many 315 00:14:31,290 --> 00:14:33,300 Zara McDermott: jobs in there and I ended up working on sick 316 00:14:33,300 --> 00:14:36,330 Zara McDermott: forms, which wasn't where my passion was, which was for 317 00:14:36,540 --> 00:14:40,050 Zara McDermott: primary education. But then I ended up getting my Love 318 00:14:40,050 --> 00:14:40,321 Zara McDermott: Island offer. 319 00:14:40,321 --> 00:14:40,322 Alex Legouix: Oh. 320 00:14:40,322 --> 00:14:43,830 Zara McDermott: And I was like, " Oh, I'll take a career break for a year 321 00:14:43,830 --> 00:14:45,660 Zara McDermott: and do that for a bit and then go back 322 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,850 Zara McDermott: to work," because I always knew that's what I wanted to 323 00:14:47,850 --> 00:14:50,370 Zara McDermott: do, but it kind of didn't really work out like 324 00:14:50,370 --> 00:14:52,650 Zara McDermott: that. And then obviously, I started making documentaries, so it 325 00:14:52,650 --> 00:14:55,350 Zara McDermott: has never really stopped for me. 326 00:14:55,350 --> 00:14:55,410 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 327 00:14:56,100 --> 00:14:57,330 Zara McDermott: I'm still on a career break. 328 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:02,341 Alex Legouix: But you still do an awful lot of campaigning, don't you? 329 00:15:02,341 --> 00:15:02,490 Zara McDermott: Yeah. 330 00:15:02,490 --> 00:15:04,321 Alex Legouix: So you still work with the government, right? 331 00:15:04,321 --> 00:15:07,320 Zara McDermott: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what's amazing, actually, is the fact that 332 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,080 Zara McDermott: I still get to do a lot of this stuff 333 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,870 Zara McDermott: that I kind of dreamed of doing, like getting into schools, 334 00:15:12,870 --> 00:15:16,920 Zara McDermott: and speaking to young people. It's not primary children, ages 335 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,230 Zara McDermott: four to kind of 11, which is where I really 336 00:15:19,230 --> 00:15:23,490 Zara McDermott: wanted to be, but I actually think that where I'm 337 00:15:23,490 --> 00:15:25,770 Zara McDermott: making the impact is actually where I was meant to 338 00:15:25,770 --> 00:15:28,260 Zara McDermott: be all along. I did a school's tour with my 339 00:15:28,260 --> 00:15:32,190 Zara McDermott: Disordered Eating documentary, and I did a tour where we 340 00:15:32,190 --> 00:15:37,080 Zara McDermott: took along an expert in eating disorders from a charity, 341 00:15:37,530 --> 00:15:40,320 Zara McDermott: and we would do a Q& A session with the students about 342 00:15:40,590 --> 00:15:44,280 Zara McDermott: disordered eating. But all my documentaries, really, are being shown in 343 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,110 Zara McDermott: schools nowadays- 344 00:15:46,110 --> 00:15:46,111 Alex Legouix: So good. 345 00:15:46,111 --> 00:15:50,610 Zara McDermott: ... which is incredible as part of the PSHE curriculum 346 00:15:50,610 --> 00:15:53,580 Zara McDermott: and as part of PSHE lessons, which is just amazing. 347 00:15:53,580 --> 00:15:56,700 Zara McDermott: I just never thought that this would be possible. So 348 00:15:56,700 --> 00:15:59,430 Zara McDermott: in a way, I am teaching kids in schools, but 349 00:15:59,490 --> 00:16:01,800 Zara McDermott: I'm kind of doing, I think, what I felt like I 350 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:02,880 Zara McDermott: was meant to be doing. 351 00:16:03,030 --> 00:16:05,820 Alex Legouix: And that part might just come further down the line. 352 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,580 Zara McDermott: Exactly. I genuinely would love to be a primary school teacher 353 00:16:08,580 --> 00:16:10,350 Zara McDermott: one day. I would love to. 354 00:16:10,530 --> 00:16:13,590 Alex Legouix: What other campaigns are you involved in? You seem to 355 00:16:13,590 --> 00:16:15,360 Alex Legouix: be doing so much. 356 00:16:15,750 --> 00:16:19,320 Zara McDermott: I mean, honestly, I try to be involved anywhere that 357 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,610 Zara McDermott: I can, really, with any of the documentaries that I 358 00:16:23,610 --> 00:16:28,440 Zara McDermott: make. I mean, my Revenge Porn documentary actually changed the 359 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,830 Zara McDermott: law on revenge porn, which was one of the biggest 360 00:16:32,220 --> 00:16:36,240 Zara McDermott: achievements of my life. It was made illegal to threaten 361 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,970 Zara McDermott: to share images. So what would happen is someone would 362 00:16:38,970 --> 00:16:41,190 Zara McDermott: go to the police and say, " Oh, my ex- boyfriend 363 00:16:41,190 --> 00:16:43,140 Zara McDermott: or someone that I know is threatening to share these 364 00:16:43,140 --> 00:16:44,640 Zara McDermott: images." And they'd be like, " Well, sorry, we can't do 365 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,680 Zara McDermott: anything until they've done it. Come back when they've done 366 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:48,960 Zara McDermott: it." And it's like the damage is done there. So 367 00:16:48,990 --> 00:16:51,300 Zara McDermott: it's now illegal to actually make that threat. 368 00:16:51,570 --> 00:16:56,610 Alex Legouix: That's so good. So our next destination is Springfield Playgroup. 369 00:16:56,790 --> 00:16:57,750 Zara McDermott: It's my nursery. 370 00:16:57,750 --> 00:16:57,751 Alex Legouix: Your nursery. 371 00:16:57,751 --> 00:16:57,752 Zara McDermott: Yeah. 372 00:16:57,752 --> 00:17:02,460 Alex Legouix: I don't obviously expect any wildly vivid memories. 373 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:03,990 Zara McDermott: Oh, I have some. Honestly. 374 00:17:03,990 --> 00:17:03,991 Alex Legouix: Oh, do you? 375 00:17:03,991 --> 00:17:07,440 Zara McDermott: I really do. Yeah, because it's next door is our church. 376 00:17:07,470 --> 00:17:10,980 Zara McDermott: We went to church here as well, so literally, the 377 00:17:10,980 --> 00:17:14,310 Zara McDermott: little playgroup is just, it's a tiny little building. 378 00:17:14,310 --> 00:17:14,490 Alex Legouix: Here we are. 379 00:17:14,730 --> 00:17:16,800 Zara McDermott: But it's just there. Literally, that is where I went 380 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:17,550 Zara McDermott: to playgroup. 381 00:17:17,609 --> 00:17:20,790 Alex Legouix: And the school is essentially in the car park over there. 382 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:22,561 Zara McDermott: It kind of is in the car park, yeah. 383 00:17:22,561 --> 00:17:30,031 Alex Legouix: And the church is, like, that's cool mosaic pattern on the outside, blues and whites. 384 00:17:30,031 --> 00:17:30,032 Zara McDermott: Yeah. 385 00:17:30,032 --> 00:17:33,149 Alex Legouix: And then a brown brick building to the side of 386 00:17:33,150 --> 00:17:35,669 Alex Legouix: it, which is where baby Zara went. 387 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,480 Zara McDermott: Yeah, I have lovely memories from playgroup. I remember being 388 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:44,639 Zara McDermott: the angel in the nativity. And I remember my first 389 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:46,470 Zara McDermott: time being mean to someone in playgroup. 390 00:17:46,470 --> 00:17:46,770 Alex Legouix: Oh, do you? 391 00:17:46,770 --> 00:17:46,891 Zara McDermott: And I remember feeling- 392 00:17:46,891 --> 00:17:47,371 Alex Legouix: What did you do? 393 00:17:48,450 --> 00:17:52,200 Zara McDermott: I pushed someone down the slide, and I remember feeling 394 00:17:52,230 --> 00:17:56,190 Zara McDermott: this, and I'd obviously never felt this emotion before - guilt. 395 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,460 Zara McDermott: This boy in my nursery, he was driving me insane. 396 00:17:59,460 --> 00:18:01,980 Zara McDermott: He was shouting wanting me to play with him, and 397 00:18:01,980 --> 00:18:04,379 Zara McDermott: he pushed in front of me on the slide, and 398 00:18:04,380 --> 00:18:06,240 Zara McDermott: I pushed him down the slide - not hard. I just 399 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,570 Zara McDermott: been... Like that. And I remember being like, " Oh, I've 400 00:18:09,570 --> 00:18:12,359 Zara McDermott: done something really wrong," and I reported myself to the teacher, and 401 00:18:15,450 --> 00:18:18,180 Zara McDermott: that's one of my really vivid memories, is the first 402 00:18:18,180 --> 00:18:19,140 Zara McDermott: feeling of guilt. 403 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:19,800 Alex Legouix: Amazing. 404 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:20,491 Zara McDermott: The first time I was like- 405 00:18:20,491 --> 00:18:22,199 Alex Legouix: And it's such a strong emotion as well. 406 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,100 Zara McDermott: I know. Big memories. But yeah, so I have a lot of lovely memories. Actually, 407 00:18:26,100 --> 00:18:30,750 Zara McDermott: funny story, our next house we moved into after Westland 408 00:18:30,750 --> 00:18:33,570 Zara McDermott: Avenue, the first house we moved into was on Fairfield 409 00:18:33,570 --> 00:18:35,879 Zara McDermott: Avenue, which is literally just down here, which we can 410 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:36,750 Zara McDermott: go to if you like. 411 00:18:36,869 --> 00:18:37,260 Alex Legouix: Okay. 412 00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:39,660 Zara McDermott: And we used to have still a cat called Max, 413 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,240 Zara McDermott: and he used to come on walks with us, so 414 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,570 Zara McDermott: when my mom would come and pick me and my brother 415 00:18:45,810 --> 00:18:48,629 Zara McDermott: up from nursery, she would just walk down this road 416 00:18:48,630 --> 00:18:49,770 Zara McDermott: and the cat would come with us. 417 00:18:49,770 --> 00:18:50,281 Alex Legouix: Oh, that's so cute. 418 00:18:50,281 --> 00:18:50,551 Zara McDermott: Yeah. 419 00:18:51,180 --> 00:18:53,911 Alex Legouix: Yeah. You're a mad passionate cat lover, aren't you? 420 00:18:53,911 --> 00:18:57,390 Zara McDermott: I'm the craziest cat lady you may ever meet, and honestly, when 421 00:18:57,390 --> 00:18:59,850 Zara McDermott: I'm older, I will have a cat sanctuary with all the 422 00:18:59,850 --> 00:19:02,280 Zara McDermott: cats that no one wants, and it's all because of 423 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,320 Zara McDermott: Max. Yeah, it is honestly- 424 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:04,800 Alex Legouix: Basically. 425 00:19:05,310 --> 00:19:08,160 Zara McDermott: It is all because of Max. This was the first 426 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:10,261 Zara McDermott: road that we moved to after Westland Avenue. 427 00:19:10,261 --> 00:19:10,262 Alex Legouix: So we need to turn right, do we? 428 00:19:10,262 --> 00:19:14,790 Zara McDermott: Yeah, we turn right down here. Fairfield Avenue. 429 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:16,141 Alex Legouix: It's nice around here. 430 00:19:16,141 --> 00:19:17,850 Zara McDermott: Yeah, it's lovely around here. It is. 431 00:19:17,850 --> 00:19:22,080 Alex Legouix: I like all the white brick and the black beams. Is 432 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:22,890 Alex Legouix: that like Tudor? 433 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,790 Zara McDermott: Yeah, it is, but it's the only cream house. Well, 434 00:19:26,790 --> 00:19:27,840 Zara McDermott: it was the only cream house on this road. 435 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:27,960 Alex Legouix: Oh, yes. 436 00:19:28,140 --> 00:19:28,889 Zara McDermott: Can you see it? 437 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:29,490 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 438 00:19:29,490 --> 00:19:35,010 Zara McDermott: That was... I'm going to send a photo to my mom. So 439 00:19:35,010 --> 00:19:38,730 Zara McDermott: funny. Yeah, this is our house. We actually did all of this 440 00:19:38,730 --> 00:19:42,210 Zara McDermott: renovation here, so it was actually a lot smaller. And 441 00:19:42,210 --> 00:19:45,450 Zara McDermott: yeah, we loved this house. This is where most of my 442 00:19:45,450 --> 00:19:48,030 Zara McDermott: childhood memories are in this house. And do you know what? 443 00:19:48,030 --> 00:19:49,440 Zara McDermott: See those windows right there? 444 00:19:49,470 --> 00:19:49,680 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 445 00:19:49,890 --> 00:19:52,950 Zara McDermott: In that room was where I first watched Strictly. 446 00:19:53,070 --> 00:19:53,790 Alex Legouix: Oh, really? 447 00:19:53,790 --> 00:19:54,210 Zara McDermott: Yeah. 448 00:19:54,420 --> 00:19:54,600 Alex Legouix: Oh, wow. 449 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,470 Zara McDermott: I first watched strictly with my nan, who's sadly passed away now, 450 00:19:58,950 --> 00:20:01,619 Zara McDermott: and we would dance around that living room there. 451 00:20:02,010 --> 00:20:02,040 Alex Legouix: Oh. 452 00:20:02,369 --> 00:20:05,490 Zara McDermott: And that's where I remember being like, " I would love 453 00:20:05,490 --> 00:20:06,148 Zara McDermott: to do Strictly." 454 00:20:06,148 --> 00:20:06,179 Alex Legouix: Aw. 455 00:20:06,900 --> 00:20:09,540 Zara McDermott: So whenever I think about that moment, it's in that 456 00:20:09,540 --> 00:20:10,050 Zara McDermott: room there. 457 00:20:12,930 --> 00:20:15,810 Alex Legouix: Well, there's a lot of countryside, isn't there, actually around 458 00:20:15,810 --> 00:20:18,060 Alex Legouix: here? And it's all starting to get a little bit leafier. 459 00:20:18,210 --> 00:20:22,140 Zara McDermott: Yes, it's nice. It's like a little countryside in almost 460 00:20:22,140 --> 00:20:22,919 Zara McDermott: in London, you know? 461 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:30,030 Alex Legouix: Yeah. Today we are driving a brand new Hyundai i10 462 00:20:30,030 --> 00:20:33,270 Alex Legouix: in gray. Zara, you and your mom had one just 463 00:20:33,270 --> 00:20:34,020 Alex Legouix: like this, didn't you? 464 00:20:34,140 --> 00:20:36,270 Zara McDermott: Literally, just like this. We had a gray one and 465 00:20:36,270 --> 00:20:37,830 Zara McDermott: we also had a white one just before. 466 00:20:37,830 --> 00:20:41,010 Alex Legouix: Ah, okay. Well, I can tell you that gray is 467 00:20:41,010 --> 00:20:45,359 Alex Legouix: the third most popular color for Hyundai i10s on Auto 468 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,330 Alex Legouix: Trader. So your mom had a white one as well. 469 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:50,310 Alex Legouix: Now do you think that that's more or less popular 470 00:20:50,310 --> 00:20:50,879 Alex Legouix: than the gray? 471 00:20:51,180 --> 00:20:53,399 Zara McDermott: I think the gray would be more popular, to be honest. 472 00:20:53,430 --> 00:20:56,129 Alex Legouix: Okay. Well, I can tell you that white is actually 473 00:20:56,130 --> 00:21:00,149 Alex Legouix: the most popular for the i10 on Auto Trader. If 474 00:21:00,150 --> 00:21:01,889 Alex Legouix: you could go for another one, what color would you 475 00:21:01,890 --> 00:21:02,490 Alex Legouix: pick now? 476 00:21:02,730 --> 00:21:04,830 Zara McDermott: I think I'd go for the gray still. I feel like 477 00:21:04,830 --> 00:21:06,929 Zara McDermott: it's quite cute and understated. 478 00:21:07,170 --> 00:21:09,359 Alex Legouix: Yes. Good. Nice. I think I would go for the 479 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:12,389 Alex Legouix: polar opposite. I think I'd probably have it in a 480 00:21:12,390 --> 00:21:15,330 Alex Legouix: bright yellow or something like that, personally. 481 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:17,909 Zara McDermott: There is something quite cute about little cars in a 482 00:21:17,910 --> 00:21:18,570 Zara McDermott: bright color. 483 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:19,740 Alex Legouix: Yes, the pop. 484 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:20,879 Zara McDermott: Yeah, love it. 485 00:21:20,970 --> 00:21:25,260 Alex Legouix: I agree. Now on Auto Trader, we have great deals on brand 486 00:21:25,260 --> 00:21:28,139 Alex Legouix: new cars. So you can buy or lease a brand 487 00:21:28,140 --> 00:21:32,040 Alex Legouix: new Hyundai i10 just like this one. Should we get on with the show? 488 00:21:32,190 --> 00:21:32,668 Zara McDermott: Let's do it. 489 00:21:35,159 --> 00:21:39,990 Alex Legouix: So this is Coopers' Company and Coborn School that we're 490 00:21:39,990 --> 00:21:41,100 Alex Legouix: about to pass, right? 491 00:21:41,100 --> 00:21:42,388 Zara McDermott: Yes. A very- 492 00:21:42,388 --> 00:21:42,481 Alex Legouix: It's quite a name. 493 00:21:42,481 --> 00:21:45,960 Zara McDermott: It is a bit of a long name. 494 00:21:46,020 --> 00:21:47,760 Alex Legouix: And this is your secondary school, right? 495 00:21:47,820 --> 00:21:51,060 Zara McDermott: Yeah. Oh, could we drive in here? Oh. 496 00:21:51,060 --> 00:21:53,250 Alex Legouix: On the left we can see the big playing fields 497 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:57,119 Alex Legouix: and kids out there, poor guys having to run around in the rain. 498 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:57,330 Zara McDermott: Yeah, run around in there. 499 00:21:59,100 --> 00:22:04,080 Alex Legouix: And then a rather large looking brown brick school. 500 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:04,710 Zara McDermott: Yup. 501 00:22:05,100 --> 00:22:08,220 Alex Legouix: So what feelings are evoked when you look at the school? 502 00:22:09,270 --> 00:22:09,570 Zara McDermott: Fear. 503 00:22:10,260 --> 00:22:10,410 Alex Legouix: Really? 504 00:22:10,410 --> 00:22:14,040 Zara McDermott: Honestly, it really is. I was quite let down by 505 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,300 Zara McDermott: the school quite a lot through my teenage years. I 506 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:21,690 Zara McDermott: was bullied from when I was... I mean, in year seven, 507 00:22:23,369 --> 00:22:26,010 Zara McDermott: there were so many instances that happened, but I remember being 508 00:22:26,100 --> 00:22:29,970 Zara McDermott: mocked by my entire science class and this was in year seven, 509 00:22:29,970 --> 00:22:32,310 Zara McDermott: so it was my form class, and they were making 510 00:22:32,460 --> 00:22:35,100 Zara McDermott: really nasty gestures towards me all at the same time. 511 00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:38,609 Zara McDermott: Thought it was really funny. My teacher didn't really do anything. 512 00:22:39,150 --> 00:22:41,490 Zara McDermott: I would go in everyday just thinking, " What's it going 513 00:22:41,490 --> 00:22:43,440 Zara McDermott: to be like today?" I mean, I got bullied up 514 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:47,190 Zara McDermott: until I was in year 13, so it was my 515 00:22:47,190 --> 00:22:51,390 Zara McDermott: entire experience. There really wasn't a day where I didn't experience it. 516 00:22:51,570 --> 00:22:54,390 Zara McDermott: I was still being bullied by a girl in my year. 517 00:22:54,930 --> 00:22:57,270 Zara McDermott: She also had a lot going on at home in her 518 00:22:57,270 --> 00:23:00,659 Zara McDermott: home life, but she bullied me so badly, and it 519 00:23:00,660 --> 00:23:02,580 Zara McDermott: was really hard because my mum worked at the school as 520 00:23:02,580 --> 00:23:05,850 Zara McDermott: well, and my mum worked in the food and textiles department, 521 00:23:06,270 --> 00:23:07,740 Zara McDermott: so I used to go and eat my lunch with 522 00:23:07,740 --> 00:23:10,890 Zara McDermott: her because I didn't really have any friends. And obviously, 523 00:23:10,890 --> 00:23:13,169 Zara McDermott: I had the photo- shed round of me when I 524 00:23:13,170 --> 00:23:16,410 Zara McDermott: was 14. And a lot of that came from not 525 00:23:16,410 --> 00:23:18,720 Zara McDermott: wanting to be bullied anymore and thinking like, " Oh, maybe 526 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:20,550 Zara McDermott: if I share this photo, maybe if I do this for 527 00:23:20,730 --> 00:23:22,679 Zara McDermott: this boy, maybe he'll like me. 528 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,770 Zara McDermott: Maybe I'll stop, the bullying will stop because if he 529 00:23:25,770 --> 00:23:28,379 Zara McDermott: likes me and he's in the popular group, then they'll all 530 00:23:28,380 --> 00:23:31,619 Zara McDermott: stop bullying me. And it was kind of that validation 531 00:23:31,619 --> 00:23:33,750 Zara McDermott: that I was looking for that ended up kind of 532 00:23:34,170 --> 00:23:38,400 Zara McDermott: ruining my life more than I've ever thought it could. And 533 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,490 Zara McDermott: then I ended up getting suspended from school. So when 534 00:23:41,490 --> 00:23:44,639 Zara McDermott: it happened, the boy actually wasn't punished at all and 535 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:48,480 Zara McDermott: I was suspended and they called my family into their 536 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,929 Zara McDermott: headteacher's office. So when I kind of look at those school gates 537 00:23:51,930 --> 00:23:55,740 Zara McDermott: now, I kind of remember that every day going in thinking, " 538 00:23:55,770 --> 00:23:57,600 Zara McDermott: What's going to happen today? What's going to happen today? 539 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:58,649 Zara McDermott: What's going to happen today?" 540 00:23:58,650 --> 00:23:58,680 Alex Legouix: Oh. 541 00:23:59,100 --> 00:24:01,890 Zara McDermott: Even though, yeah, I won't lie, there are some lovely memories 542 00:24:01,890 --> 00:24:04,260 Zara McDermott: that my favorite memories of having my mum there at school. 543 00:24:04,590 --> 00:24:04,830 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 544 00:24:04,830 --> 00:24:06,301 Zara McDermott: And that's why I'm so close to her now. 545 00:24:06,301 --> 00:24:06,511 Alex Legouix: Thank goodness. 546 00:24:07,230 --> 00:24:10,710 Zara McDermott: Yeah, it was obviously hard for her, though, right? 547 00:24:10,710 --> 00:24:10,740 Alex Legouix: Mm. 548 00:24:10,740 --> 00:24:13,260 Zara McDermott: Because she's also, that's her job as well. 549 00:24:13,290 --> 00:24:13,560 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 550 00:24:14,010 --> 00:24:15,689 Zara McDermott: I felt so bad, as well, at the time and 551 00:24:15,690 --> 00:24:17,639 Zara McDermott: I felt like that was tough as well because that 552 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:18,750 Zara McDermott: was weighing on me too. 553 00:24:18,810 --> 00:24:20,700 Alex Legouix: I was going to say, you must have had that 554 00:24:20,730 --> 00:24:23,969 Alex Legouix: additional pressure because it sounds like you're quite sensitive and 555 00:24:23,970 --> 00:24:25,830 Alex Legouix: would've been conscious of what she was feeling. 556 00:24:25,830 --> 00:24:29,760 Zara McDermott: Yeah, absolutely. So don't get me wrong, I had some 557 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,429 Zara McDermott: lovely, wonderful memories there, and I ended up coming out 558 00:24:32,430 --> 00:24:34,890 Zara McDermott: of school. Generally, this is so funny, because I didn't really 559 00:24:34,890 --> 00:24:38,879 Zara McDermott: have that many friends, I ended up just studying so 560 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:42,960 Zara McDermott: hard and throwing myself into my education, that I came 561 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,380 Zara McDermott: out of school and I did really well. I was really happy with all 562 00:24:46,380 --> 00:24:50,310 Zara McDermott: my grades and everything, but, obviously, that came at a price. Would 563 00:24:50,310 --> 00:24:53,369 Zara McDermott: I go back in time and maybe rather get lower 564 00:24:53,369 --> 00:24:57,000 Zara McDermott: less good grades and have a better experience overall? Absolutely. 565 00:24:57,419 --> 00:25:02,220 Alex Legouix: Right. Thank you for sharing that. A lot of people 566 00:25:02,220 --> 00:25:04,980 Alex Legouix: go through some degree of bullying, but the impact that 567 00:25:04,980 --> 00:25:06,840 Alex Legouix: that must have had on you is so significant. 568 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:09,359 Zara McDermott: Yeah. It's made me who I am today. 569 00:25:09,510 --> 00:25:09,960 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 570 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,750 Zara McDermott: For my flaws as well. It's pretty much been the 571 00:25:12,750 --> 00:25:15,300 Zara McDermott: biggest thing that shaped me, I think, aside from my 572 00:25:15,420 --> 00:25:19,260 Zara McDermott: parents bringing me up. That's why I really, really have 573 00:25:19,260 --> 00:25:22,020 Zara McDermott: such a passion, I think, for especially getting my documentaries 574 00:25:22,020 --> 00:25:25,619 Zara McDermott: in schools and trying to support in any way I 575 00:25:25,619 --> 00:25:28,709 Zara McDermott: can because I know how it feels to feel left 576 00:25:28,710 --> 00:25:30,780 Zara McDermott: out, and to be going through stuff, and to be 577 00:25:31,109 --> 00:25:34,619 Zara McDermott: dealing with so much. I know, I know firsthand how 578 00:25:34,619 --> 00:25:38,640 Zara McDermott: that feels. I feel like I kind of experienced everything that was negative 579 00:25:39,180 --> 00:25:40,950 Zara McDermott: at the time, like I went through it all. 580 00:25:41,340 --> 00:25:44,040 Alex Legouix: Do you think it helped you trust yourself? It sounds 581 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,200 Alex Legouix: like you spent quite a lot of time with yourself. 582 00:25:46,350 --> 00:25:51,359 Zara McDermott: Yeah. I'm very independent now. I have very, very, very close 583 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:55,109 Zara McDermott: relationship with my family, but in terms of self- sufficiency, 584 00:25:55,470 --> 00:25:57,149 Zara McDermott: I love being on my own. I love spending time 585 00:25:57,150 --> 00:25:59,879 Zara McDermott: on my own. So yeah, I think it does. I 586 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:01,619 Zara McDermott: think you're right. I've never thought about it that way, 587 00:26:01,619 --> 00:26:04,170 Zara McDermott: but that kind of makes sense, actually, that that would 588 00:26:04,170 --> 00:26:06,389 Zara McDermott: be like you learn to just be at one and 589 00:26:06,390 --> 00:26:10,530 Zara McDermott: at peace with yourself earlier maybe than you should, but 590 00:26:10,530 --> 00:26:11,280 Zara McDermott: it does help. 591 00:26:11,340 --> 00:26:14,340 Alex Legouix: Yeah. You were forced to be independent and resilient. 592 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:15,359 Zara McDermott: Yeah. Exactly. 593 00:26:16,230 --> 00:26:20,459 Alex Legouix: The internet is a central character in all of your 594 00:26:20,460 --> 00:26:22,350 Alex Legouix: stories, I mean, as it is in all of our 595 00:26:22,350 --> 00:26:25,950 Alex Legouix: lives. But what do you think can be done to 596 00:26:26,130 --> 00:26:31,350 Alex Legouix: halt the tides of horror and hate, which are allowed 597 00:26:31,350 --> 00:26:32,280 Alex Legouix: to exist? 598 00:26:32,700 --> 00:26:35,639 Zara McDermott: For me, I think first things first, is when you 599 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,490 Zara McDermott: sign up to a social media account, like a lot 600 00:26:38,490 --> 00:26:41,130 Zara McDermott: of accounts, it should be made a little bit more 601 00:26:41,130 --> 00:26:43,020 Zara McDermott: difficult. You should have to jump through a few more 602 00:26:43,410 --> 00:26:46,650 Zara McDermott: before you sign up for an Instagram account or a TikTok 603 00:26:46,650 --> 00:26:49,109 Zara McDermott: account. You should have to maybe upload a copy of 604 00:26:49,109 --> 00:26:52,680 Zara McDermott: your passport or a driving license or whatever it is. 605 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,459 Zara McDermott: You should have to input some kind of information to 606 00:26:56,460 --> 00:27:01,260 Zara McDermott: prove your identity. And I think that that would help so 607 00:27:01,260 --> 00:27:04,260 Zara McDermott: much in so many ways. I think because a massive 608 00:27:04,260 --> 00:27:06,810 Zara McDermott: problem with the internet is lack of accountability for anything 609 00:27:06,810 --> 00:27:10,170 Zara McDermott: that anyone does. The moment you start kind of de- 610 00:27:10,170 --> 00:27:15,540 Zara McDermott: anonymizing people, I don't know if that's a word, de- anonymizing people, let's just say it is, 611 00:27:15,930 --> 00:27:20,609 Zara McDermott: and making it so that you are traceable. I think 612 00:27:20,609 --> 00:27:22,950 Zara McDermott: that that would change a lot. But the problem is 613 00:27:22,950 --> 00:27:25,109 Zara McDermott: I think that that has to become a global thing 614 00:27:25,260 --> 00:27:28,409 Zara McDermott: because the social media industry is far bigger than the 615 00:27:28,410 --> 00:27:30,210 Zara McDermott: UK making a few laws. 616 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:30,420 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 617 00:27:30,450 --> 00:27:33,780 Zara McDermott: It doesn't change actually. This is a global platform, so 618 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,990 Zara McDermott: it would require a lot of people pulling together. And 619 00:27:36,990 --> 00:27:38,970 Zara McDermott: I really hope that it's something that's being worked on, 620 00:27:38,970 --> 00:27:41,459 Zara McDermott: but I think that that really would help in a 621 00:27:41,460 --> 00:27:42,450 Zara McDermott: lot of ways. 622 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:44,070 Alex Legouix: It would be huge, wouldn't it? 623 00:27:44,100 --> 00:27:44,490 Zara McDermott: Mm. 624 00:27:45,150 --> 00:27:48,030 Alex Legouix: I love that you are using your platform for such 625 00:27:48,030 --> 00:27:50,879 Alex Legouix: good and educating people in the right way, though. 626 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:54,000 Zara McDermott: Ah, I feel like I'm doing what needs to be done. 627 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:59,158 Zara McDermott: I feel like I am just telling people's stories and 628 00:27:59,850 --> 00:28:02,100 Zara McDermott: I am less so, I suppose, proud of myself and 629 00:28:02,100 --> 00:28:05,310 Zara McDermott: more so proud of the contributors that are in my 630 00:28:05,310 --> 00:28:08,880 Zara McDermott: documentaries, and especially the really, really strong women who come 631 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:11,250 Zara McDermott: forward and share their stories with me and are brave. 632 00:28:11,670 --> 00:28:13,590 Zara McDermott: It's bigger than just me, is what I say. 633 00:28:13,590 --> 00:28:19,920 Alex Legouix: Yeah. How do you go about deciding what deals and brands 634 00:28:20,130 --> 00:28:23,639 Alex Legouix: you're going to push in front, I guess, for your 635 00:28:23,700 --> 00:28:24,630 Alex Legouix: social media stuff? 636 00:28:24,630 --> 00:28:28,379 Zara McDermott: That's such a good question. So I'm very selective now 637 00:28:28,380 --> 00:28:31,169 Zara McDermott: with what I do, and what jobs I take on. 638 00:28:31,170 --> 00:28:34,590 Zara McDermott: I only work with a couple of brands, really, and brands I actually 639 00:28:34,830 --> 00:28:37,650 Zara McDermott: use. So let's say a brand approached me and were like, " 640 00:28:37,740 --> 00:28:39,540 Zara McDermott: We'd love to pay you X amount to do this 641 00:28:39,540 --> 00:28:41,160 Zara McDermott: post," but I've never used the brand before. I would 642 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:44,610 Zara McDermott: instantly just say no because it's not authentic. I think 643 00:28:44,610 --> 00:28:47,550 Zara McDermott: that nowadays people can tell if you don't actually use 644 00:28:47,550 --> 00:28:47,881 Zara McDermott: the product, you don't actually like it. 645 00:28:47,881 --> 00:28:47,970 Alex Legouix: Yeah, 646 00:28:49,002 --> 00:28:54,930 Zara McDermott: And I am not like a money- driven person? For me, family 647 00:28:54,930 --> 00:28:57,660 Zara McDermott: is the most important thing, not being rich, and not 648 00:28:57,690 --> 00:29:00,150 Zara McDermott: having loads of designer handbags and stuff. So I'm not 649 00:29:00,150 --> 00:29:04,350 Zara McDermott: really like a money chaser. I would rather just work 650 00:29:04,350 --> 00:29:06,540 Zara McDermott: with a few brands and align myself with brands that I 651 00:29:06,540 --> 00:29:10,020 Zara McDermott: love, that I use, that's authentic to me. And then 652 00:29:10,050 --> 00:29:13,140 Zara McDermott: the rest, I'd just, yeah, it's mostly a no from me. 653 00:29:18,540 --> 00:29:23,520 Alex Legouix: Okay. Next up, we're off to Meadowside Road, but before we 654 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,910 Alex Legouix: get there, have you got any snacks with you? 655 00:29:26,970 --> 00:29:29,280 Zara McDermott: I do. I have two snacks with me. 656 00:29:29,490 --> 00:29:32,700 Alex Legouix: Now why did you choose these? So you've got... 657 00:29:32,790 --> 00:29:32,851 Zara McDermott: A Crunchie. 658 00:29:32,851 --> 00:29:36,810 Alex Legouix: I love it. I can't remember the last time I had a Crunchie. 659 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:39,180 Zara McDermott: Do you know what? This is like my childhood. So 660 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:41,790 Zara McDermott: my dad used to, bless his heart, he used to 661 00:29:41,790 --> 00:29:46,770 Zara McDermott: work a very stressful job. He was an operations servicing 662 00:29:46,890 --> 00:29:51,360 Zara McDermott: manager and he used to race back to get to 663 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:54,180 Zara McDermott: see us just before we went to bed, and he 664 00:29:54,180 --> 00:29:57,989 Zara McDermott: would bring us home treasure hunt, which was like basically he 665 00:29:57,990 --> 00:30:00,360 Zara McDermott: would bring us back our favorite chocolate bars for me 666 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:02,370 Zara McDermott: and my brother and hide them somewhere in the house 667 00:30:02,370 --> 00:30:03,480 Zara McDermott: and we'd have to find them. 668 00:30:03,540 --> 00:30:03,570 Alex Legouix: Aw. 669 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,511 Zara McDermott: So this is kind of like a throwback snack for me, Crunchie. 670 00:30:06,511 --> 00:30:08,040 Alex Legouix: A nostalgic chocolate. 671 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,950 Zara McDermott: Nostalgic chocolate. Because we're taking a trip down memory lane, 672 00:30:10,950 --> 00:30:12,720 Zara McDermott: I felt like it was a good place to have 673 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:15,840 Zara McDermott: a Crunchie because it just reminds me of that sweet 674 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:18,540 Zara McDermott: taste of treasure hunt when you're five years old and 675 00:30:18,540 --> 00:30:21,480 Zara McDermott: you've just found a chocolate bar hidden in the bookcase. 676 00:30:21,630 --> 00:30:23,460 Zara McDermott: That was honestly, that was one of my most special 677 00:30:23,460 --> 00:30:26,340 Zara McDermott: memories from my childhood. And then these, Go Ahead Bars, 678 00:30:27,060 --> 00:30:28,860 Zara McDermott: just because I used to have them in my lunch 679 00:30:28,860 --> 00:30:31,020 Zara McDermott: at school every day, and I used to eat them on 680 00:30:31,020 --> 00:30:33,330 Zara McDermott: the way back from school because they weren't cool enough 681 00:30:33,330 --> 00:30:37,590 Zara McDermott: for me to eat with my friends at school. I 682 00:30:37,590 --> 00:30:39,990 Zara McDermott: always tried to get something from the cafe just to be like, " 683 00:30:40,290 --> 00:30:42,360 Zara McDermott: Let's get some chips in the caf." But actually, I 684 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,370 Zara McDermott: did love my Go Ahead fibre bars and I would 685 00:30:44,370 --> 00:30:45,690 Zara McDermott: wait until I got in the car on the way 686 00:30:45,690 --> 00:30:46,410 Zara McDermott: home to eat it. 687 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:47,219 Alex Legouix: That's- 688 00:30:47,219 --> 00:30:47,431 Zara McDermott: So yeah. 689 00:30:47,431 --> 00:30:50,281 Alex Legouix: I love the fact that you've opted for nostalgic snackage. 690 00:30:50,281 --> 00:30:50,282 Zara McDermott: I've got- 691 00:30:50,282 --> 00:30:52,201 Alex Legouix: Would you like to eat some of your- 692 00:30:52,201 --> 00:30:54,000 Zara McDermott: Yeah, I'm going to have some Crunchie, but you know 693 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:54,901 Zara McDermott: there's a special way to eat. Crunchie? 694 00:30:54,901 --> 00:30:57,210 Alex Legouix: Yeah. All right, I was going to say that. 695 00:30:57,210 --> 00:30:57,540 Zara McDermott: Bite the top off. 696 00:30:57,540 --> 00:30:57,600 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 697 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:07,620 Zara McDermott: Like this. Then we've got some chocolate. And then you have to bite the sides and make it 698 00:31:07,620 --> 00:31:08,910 Zara McDermott: into a little honeycomb thing. 699 00:31:08,910 --> 00:31:09,990 Alex Legouix: Ah, yes. 700 00:31:11,670 --> 00:31:12,780 Zara McDermott: I made a mess of that already. 701 00:31:15,150 --> 00:31:20,580 Alex Legouix: So you mentioned your dad there, and, obviously, your mum 702 00:31:20,580 --> 00:31:21,300 Alex Legouix: a few times. 703 00:31:21,300 --> 00:31:21,390 Zara McDermott: Mm- hmm. 704 00:31:21,390 --> 00:31:23,520 Alex Legouix: We heard from her earlier, but it seems like you 705 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:25,800 Alex Legouix: have a lovely relationship. 706 00:31:26,070 --> 00:31:30,150 Zara McDermott: My parents are genuinely my best friends. I love them 707 00:31:30,150 --> 00:31:30,511 Zara McDermott: so much. 708 00:31:30,511 --> 00:31:30,901 Alex Legouix: Aw. 709 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,950 Zara McDermott: I try and involve them in the weird, and crazy, 710 00:31:34,950 --> 00:31:37,860 Zara McDermott: and wonderful things that I get to do sometimes with this 711 00:31:38,430 --> 00:31:41,790 Zara McDermott: job. And I took my mum, actually, to meet the 712 00:31:41,790 --> 00:31:43,110 Zara McDermott: Queen last week. 713 00:31:43,260 --> 00:31:44,220 Alex Legouix: Wow. 714 00:31:44,850 --> 00:31:48,750 Zara McDermott: It was just the most amazing thing ever. There was 715 00:31:48,750 --> 00:31:52,170 Zara McDermott: a reception of Buckingham Palace for the Queen, Camilla. She 716 00:31:52,170 --> 00:31:56,820 Zara McDermott: does her Wash Bag Incentive, which is, there's something called 717 00:31:56,820 --> 00:32:00,630 Zara McDermott: a SARC, which is a Sexual Assault Referral Center, and 718 00:32:00,630 --> 00:32:04,350 Zara McDermott: someone can go there if they've been assaulted and the 719 00:32:04,350 --> 00:32:06,180 Zara McDermott: SARCs will provide people with a wash bag and it 720 00:32:06,180 --> 00:32:07,140 Zara McDermott: was actually her idea. 721 00:32:08,070 --> 00:32:08,071 Alex Legouix: Oh, wow. 722 00:32:08,071 --> 00:32:08,970 Zara McDermott: Do this Wash Bag thing. 723 00:32:08,970 --> 00:32:09,630 Alex Legouix: Good initiative. 724 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:12,360 Zara McDermott: It's a really good initiative to give someone something that they 725 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:16,080 Zara McDermott: can keep after they've been to sin, something that is 726 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,690 Zara McDermott: a little bit of positivity. So I took my mum 727 00:32:18,690 --> 00:32:22,170 Zara McDermott: along to that and it was just incredible. We met 728 00:32:22,170 --> 00:32:25,080 Zara McDermott: some amazing women, but I still look at her, and 729 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,480 Zara McDermott: I'm like, " I'm so inspired by you." Oh my gosh, 730 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:31,441 Zara McDermott: this is my old house. Just a moment. Stop. This one here. 731 00:32:31,441 --> 00:32:31,442 Alex Legouix: Wow. Right. 732 00:32:31,442 --> 00:32:35,910 Zara McDermott: See those hedges? We planted those hedges when I was 733 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,590 Zara McDermott: maybe four? Five? 734 00:32:37,710 --> 00:32:40,770 Alex Legouix: So they'd have been like little seedlings when you planted them- 735 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:41,311 Zara McDermott: They were tiny, tiny hedges. 736 00:32:41,311 --> 00:32:43,470 Alex Legouix: ... and now they're a couple of meters at most? 737 00:32:43,470 --> 00:32:46,260 Zara McDermott: Yeah. This pavement here was where I broke my toe. 738 00:32:46,260 --> 00:32:46,290 Alex Legouix: Oh. 739 00:32:46,410 --> 00:32:49,290 Zara McDermott: I was three years old. I remember my dad carrying 740 00:32:49,290 --> 00:32:51,000 Zara McDermott: me out of the car because I dropped a paving slab on 741 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:52,170 Zara McDermott: my big toe when I was three. 742 00:32:52,380 --> 00:32:53,040 Alex Legouix: Oh, ha. 743 00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:55,650 Zara McDermott: It was hoo- ha- ha painful. I have quite a 744 00:32:55,650 --> 00:32:57,690 Zara McDermott: few memories. I remember, you know I said I wanted to be 745 00:32:57,690 --> 00:32:58,441 Zara McDermott: a midwife when I was younger? 746 00:32:58,441 --> 00:32:58,861 Alex Legouix: Mm. 747 00:32:59,100 --> 00:33:01,229 Zara McDermott: I remember being in that living room just forcing my 748 00:33:01,230 --> 00:33:03,210 Zara McDermott: cousin to pretend to give birth to her baby doll 749 00:33:03,210 --> 00:33:06,810 Zara McDermott: so I could assist with the birth. My mum would be like, " 750 00:33:07,020 --> 00:33:10,709 Zara McDermott: What are you doing?" I'm like, "I'm making her give birth, okay? So I can 751 00:33:10,709 --> 00:33:11,640 Zara McDermott: be a midwife." 752 00:33:13,020 --> 00:33:15,150 Alex Legouix: Oh, poor girl. So this is where the love of midwifery 753 00:33:15,150 --> 00:33:22,560 Alex Legouix: began. I love it. You don't sound like you've come 754 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:23,130 Alex Legouix: from Essex. 755 00:33:23,430 --> 00:33:26,490 Zara McDermott: Yeah, only because I think from just spending so much 756 00:33:26,490 --> 00:33:29,130 Zara McDermott: time with Sam, and with his family, his family are 757 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:32,040 Zara McDermott: very well- spoken, but I used to be a bit more 758 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:39,510 Zara McDermott: Essex. My friends talk like this, so them, they talk like this. Yeah. And I feel like, so posh. 759 00:33:41,820 --> 00:33:44,010 Alex Legouix: The next place that we are going to be heading 760 00:33:44,010 --> 00:33:46,410 Alex Legouix: to is Upminster Station. 761 00:33:46,470 --> 00:33:46,800 Zara McDermott: Ooh. 762 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:49,050 Alex Legouix: How often do you come back this way? 763 00:33:49,620 --> 00:33:52,470 Zara McDermott: I try and come back once a week if I 764 00:33:52,470 --> 00:33:55,650 Zara McDermott: can, just to stay and see my mum and dad, have 765 00:33:55,650 --> 00:33:58,980 Zara McDermott: dinner with them, see my grandparents who literally live across 766 00:33:58,980 --> 00:34:02,190 Zara McDermott: the park, and, obviously, a lot of my friends are 767 00:34:02,190 --> 00:34:06,600 Zara McDermott: in Upminster, Hornchurch. So I try and come back just 768 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:09,150 Zara McDermott: when I have a day or an evening where I 769 00:34:09,150 --> 00:34:12,630 Zara McDermott: don't need to be back in West London by nine 770 00:34:12,630 --> 00:34:16,469 Zara McDermott: o'clock in the morning, which I've made that mistake before. 771 00:34:16,469 --> 00:34:17,910 Zara McDermott: And it takes longer than you think. 772 00:34:18,030 --> 00:34:20,280 Alex Legouix: What does Sam make of it around here? 773 00:34:21,390 --> 00:34:25,020 Zara McDermott: I don't think Sam could live here. I feel like Upminster's got 774 00:34:25,020 --> 00:34:27,330 Zara McDermott: this kind of villagey vibe. 775 00:34:27,570 --> 00:34:27,840 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 776 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:28,170 Zara McDermott: Not used to Central. 777 00:34:28,860 --> 00:34:31,710 Alex Legouix: It must be so different living in West London. 778 00:34:32,310 --> 00:34:35,400 Zara McDermott: Do you know what? It's actually also a culture difference. 779 00:34:35,430 --> 00:34:35,431 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 780 00:34:35,431 --> 00:34:39,810 Zara McDermott: There's a really big culture difference, like the fashion, and the 781 00:34:39,810 --> 00:34:43,800 Zara McDermott: way people speak, and the terminology they use for certain 782 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:50,580 Zara McDermott: things. When I first moved there, I was like the Essex girl, but I 783 00:34:50,580 --> 00:34:53,520 Zara McDermott: think you kind of adapt to it. But around there, it's all 784 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:58,620 Zara McDermott: like wellness, Pilates, and all of that kind of thing. 785 00:34:58,980 --> 00:35:00,960 Zara McDermott: It's really like brunch spots and- 786 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:01,470 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 787 00:35:01,890 --> 00:35:05,310 Zara McDermott: It's different. It actually is, but it's not even that 788 00:35:05,310 --> 00:35:06,000 Zara McDermott: far away. 789 00:35:06,870 --> 00:35:07,920 Alex Legouix: Which do you prefer? 790 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:11,399 Zara McDermott: Oh, Upminster. Oh, I don't know. I don't know, actually. I don't know. Obviously- 791 00:35:12,330 --> 00:35:13,259 Alex Legouix: Sorry, Sam. 792 00:35:13,500 --> 00:35:16,890 Zara McDermott: Sorry, Sam. No. I obviously, I love West London. I do, 793 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:19,410 Zara McDermott: but I think this is where I grew up and 794 00:35:19,410 --> 00:35:21,989 Zara McDermott: where my family are, so if I had to choose 795 00:35:21,989 --> 00:35:25,230 Zara McDermott: somewhere to be in this present moment, of course I 796 00:35:25,230 --> 00:35:27,510 Zara McDermott: would choose to be near my family and friends. But 797 00:35:27,510 --> 00:35:30,601 Zara McDermott: it's lovely because actually my brother moved to Fulham about- 798 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:30,602 Alex Legouix: Oh, that's nice. 799 00:35:30,601 --> 00:35:35,549 Zara McDermott: ... about nine months ago? His girlfriend's actually from Norwich. They 800 00:35:35,550 --> 00:35:38,310 Zara McDermott: were living up there for a year. So literally, they 801 00:35:38,310 --> 00:35:41,730 Zara McDermott: are five minutes around the corner from me. We spend 802 00:35:41,730 --> 00:35:44,940 Zara McDermott: so much time together, so in that way, I feel like 803 00:35:44,940 --> 00:35:47,489 Zara McDermott: I'm converting people slowly and surely. Maybe I can get 804 00:35:47,489 --> 00:35:49,440 Zara McDermott: my mom and dad over to Fulham because I do love 805 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:50,190 Zara McDermott: Fulham as well. 806 00:35:50,430 --> 00:35:52,259 Alex Legouix: Does Sam get on well with your brother? Do they 807 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:53,430 Alex Legouix: get on well? 808 00:35:53,700 --> 00:35:55,530 Zara McDermott: Yeah, really well. My brother and Sam see each other all the 809 00:35:55,530 --> 00:35:59,969 Zara McDermott: time. Brad's always over at our house and he's great. 810 00:36:00,090 --> 00:36:02,460 Zara McDermott: They get on so well. I'm very, very lucky that 811 00:36:02,910 --> 00:36:04,620 Zara McDermott: they all get on. I mean, look, we're all so 812 00:36:04,620 --> 00:36:07,620 Zara McDermott: lucky. I get on so well with Sam's sister. She's 813 00:36:07,620 --> 00:36:13,020 Zara McDermott: basically my sister, and Sam's... So Louise's partner, Ryan, is literally 814 00:36:13,020 --> 00:36:17,280 Zara McDermott: like my brother as well, and their little baby, who's 815 00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:19,800 Zara McDermott: our nephew, is just like, we have such a special 816 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,230 Zara McDermott: bond as well. And then Sam gets on so well 817 00:36:22,230 --> 00:36:25,680 Zara McDermott: with my brother and my brother's girlfriend. So we have 818 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:27,480 Zara McDermott: a little community of us. 819 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:27,571 Alex Legouix: Yeah, that's nice. 820 00:36:27,571 --> 00:36:30,120 Zara McDermott: We're just like besties. It's great. 821 00:36:33,180 --> 00:36:38,219 Alex Legouix: So Upminster High Street, what significance is that for you? 822 00:36:38,459 --> 00:36:42,810 Zara McDermott: I mean, this is where I frequent when I'm back home. What 823 00:36:42,810 --> 00:36:45,360 Zara McDermott: can I even say? That's my local nail salon when 824 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:45,989 Zara McDermott: I'm at home. 825 00:36:49,530 --> 00:36:49,531 Alex Legouix: Oh... 826 00:36:49,531 --> 00:36:49,532 Zara McDermott: L'amour. 827 00:36:49,532 --> 00:36:49,533 Alex Legouix: L'amour. 828 00:36:49,533 --> 00:36:53,760 Zara McDermott: Yeah. When I come back to Upminster, they're really good, actually. My grandparents actually lived literally, so 829 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:57,569 Zara McDermott: there's a little church here. They live just behind the church, 830 00:36:57,810 --> 00:36:59,670 Zara McDermott: which is lovely. Yeah. 831 00:36:59,670 --> 00:37:00,240 Alex Legouix: Quite busy. 832 00:37:00,390 --> 00:37:00,630 Zara McDermott: It's nice. 833 00:37:00,630 --> 00:37:02,430 Alex Legouix: You worked here, did you, as well? 834 00:37:02,730 --> 00:37:05,250 Zara McDermott: Oh my gosh. I worked at a hairdressers down the road and I 835 00:37:05,250 --> 00:37:07,739 Zara McDermott: also worked, I'll show you, it's not a clothes shop 836 00:37:07,739 --> 00:37:11,700 Zara McDermott: anymore, but it was a clothes shop. So I used 837 00:37:11,700 --> 00:37:15,029 Zara McDermott: to work in this little... Where that Anytime Fitness is 838 00:37:15,030 --> 00:37:17,969 Zara McDermott: now used to be an M& Co. Have you ever 839 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:18,300 Zara McDermott: heard of M&Co? 840 00:37:18,300 --> 00:37:18,421 Alex Legouix: Yeah. 841 00:37:19,590 --> 00:37:20,010 Zara McDermott: Yeah. 842 00:37:20,010 --> 00:37:21,509 Alex Legouix: Well, they've shut down now, haven't they? Everywhere. 843 00:37:21,509 --> 00:37:21,600 Zara McDermott: Sad. 844 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:22,980 Alex Legouix: We had one near me as well. 845 00:37:23,190 --> 00:37:26,010 Zara McDermott: Yeah, it shut down. But I used to work in there Saturdays and Sundays. 846 00:37:26,969 --> 00:37:30,660 Alex Legouix: So what's next then for you? What's the future of Zara? 847 00:37:31,050 --> 00:37:34,620 Zara McDermott: Well, I actually just launched my own clothing brand this 848 00:37:34,620 --> 00:37:38,069 Zara McDermott: year, which is very exciting. I've been working on it for a couple of years. 849 00:37:38,070 --> 00:37:42,180 Zara McDermott: I wanted to create something that was inspired by a lot of the 850 00:37:42,180 --> 00:37:46,260 Zara McDermott: women that I work with and have met on my 851 00:37:46,260 --> 00:37:50,700 Zara McDermott: documentaries, and also inspired by my family as well, trying 852 00:37:50,700 --> 00:37:55,230 Zara McDermott: to find a destination where all of us can shop 853 00:37:55,230 --> 00:37:57,690 Zara McDermott: at the same place, like my mom, my nan, my cousins, 854 00:37:58,020 --> 00:38:01,410 Zara McDermott: younger friends, older friends, trying to create a brand that 855 00:38:01,410 --> 00:38:03,210 Zara McDermott: felt like it looked good on everyone and there was 856 00:38:03,210 --> 00:38:04,380 Zara McDermott: something for everyone. 857 00:38:04,500 --> 00:38:06,300 Alex Legouix: It's a shame we can't call it Zara, isn't it? 858 00:38:06,570 --> 00:38:09,000 Zara McDermott: It's a shame that one's already taken, sadly. 859 00:38:13,739 --> 00:38:14,130 Alex Legouix: Well... 860 00:38:14,670 --> 00:38:17,790 Zara McDermott: Is this where I leave you? Thank you so much 861 00:38:17,790 --> 00:38:18,301 Zara McDermott: for having me. 862 00:38:18,301 --> 00:38:18,302 Alex Legouix: Thank you. 863 00:38:18,302 --> 00:38:20,370 Zara McDermott: This has been so much fun. 864 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:23,040 Alex Legouix: Yeah, it's been amazing. Thank you for your honesty and- 865 00:38:23,939 --> 00:38:24,061 Zara McDermott: Aw, you're welcome. 866 00:38:24,060 --> 00:38:27,239 Alex Legouix: ... for everything that you're doing for the younger generation. 867 00:38:27,330 --> 00:38:30,210 Alex Legouix: It's so impactful and your passion shines through. 868 00:38:30,210 --> 00:38:33,839 Zara McDermott: Thank you so much. It was so lovely to chat for you. 869 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:33,990 Alex Legouix: My pleasure. 870 00:38:33,989 --> 00:38:36,690 Zara McDermott: Thank you for being such a good listener. See you later. 871 00:38:36,690 --> 00:38:46,440 Alex Legouix: You take care. What a great insight into Zara's life 872 00:38:46,469 --> 00:38:49,259 Alex Legouix: and the experiences which have made her into who she 873 00:38:49,260 --> 00:38:52,620 Alex Legouix: is today. Thanks for joining us. Show On the Road 874 00:38:52,620 --> 00:38:55,590 Alex Legouix: is a Fresh Air Production for Auto Trader. If you 875 00:38:55,590 --> 00:38:57,930 Alex Legouix: enjoyed it and you want others to enjoy it too, 876 00:38:58,020 --> 00:39:01,110 Alex Legouix: spread the word, please, by leaving a quick rating in 877 00:39:01,110 --> 00:39:04,110 Alex Legouix: your podcast app and a nice little comment. You can 878 00:39:04,110 --> 00:39:07,860 Alex Legouix: also subscribe to our YouTube channel where there's exclusive footage 879 00:39:07,860 --> 00:39:10,650 Alex Legouix: of this drive. One of the best things about this 880 00:39:10,650 --> 00:39:14,850 Alex Legouix: series is every person's story is so different and choosing 881 00:39:14,850 --> 00:39:17,219 Alex Legouix: the vehicle you are going to start your next story 882 00:39:17,219 --> 00:39:20,820 Alex Legouix: in could not be easier on Auto Trader. Thousands of 883 00:39:20,820 --> 00:39:24,810 Alex Legouix: vehicles to choose from with expert reviews and videos to 884 00:39:24,810 --> 00:39:27,960 Alex Legouix: help you pick, and loads of options to buy used, 885 00:39:28,140 --> 00:39:30,989 Alex Legouix: new or lease so you get the best for you 886 00:39:31,050 --> 00:39:34,200 Alex Legouix: each time. Find your next car and start your next 887 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:37,950 Alex Legouix: story on the Auto Trader app or at AutoTrader. co. 888 00:39:37,980 --> 00:39:43,200 Alex Legouix: uk. In our next episode, one very famous singer will 889 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:45,690 Alex Legouix: be showing us around the streets, which have helped shaped 890 00:39:45,690 --> 00:39:50,640 Alex Legouix: his life, sharing stories about many things including X Factor, 891 00:39:50,790 --> 00:39:52,410 Alex Legouix: football, and fatherhood. 892 00:39:52,830 --> 00:39:57,450 Speaker 5: I love how we're driving around at my local town in a Bentley and they're all like, " State 893 00:39:57,450 --> 00:39:59,730 Speaker 5: of this guy, thinks he's big- time Charlie." This is 894 00:39:59,730 --> 00:40:00,900 Speaker 5: what I try not to do when I drive around here. 895 00:40:02,550 --> 00:40:05,399 Alex Legouix: I'm Alex Legouix. Until next time, see ya.