DEVASTATED Sam Thompson has been left "blindsided" by his ex Zara McDermott's new romance with Louis Tomlinson, pals say. The Sun exclusively revealed the One Direction singer, 33, and the Strictly star, 28, are dating, after the pair were spotted on a cosy night out. Louis whisked model Zara to a hotel in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, where a fellow diner snapped them enjoying a romantic meal. Sam, 32, who split from girlfriend of five years Zara in December, was mortified when he found out about the dates and shocked about how quickly she appears to have moved on. A source told The Sun: "Sam is obviously devastated by the news, he was with Zara for years and the break-up has hit him hard. "He’s taking some time out to focus on himself - it’s completely blindsided and embarrassed him. "He didn’t expect Zara to move on so quickly and he’s still dealing with the aftermath of the split. "He’s not found the split easy and has been trying to keep busy and take his mind off it by focusing on work, friends and family. "But everyone can see that he’s struggling and just needs to take some time out to reassess things." Sam's close pals, including Pete Wicks, have been a shoulder for him to cry on throughout the fallout from their break-up - and especially after the latest development. "His close knit group of friends have stepped in to support him and his family have been rallying around him," they continued. "Although it’s been a tough few months, Sam is determined to put the past behind him and move forward. "He’s looking to the future now, and all the exciting projects he’s got coming up, like his and Pete’s Staying Relevant Live event at the O2, which is a huge career move for him. "He’s also headed off on holiday and is trying to focus on doing things he loves, after what has been a difficult time following the split. "He’s trying to fill his diary over the next few months and keep working hard and believes this could be a fresh start for him." The Sun reached out to Sam's rep for comment. Since The Sun revealed photos of Zara and Louis' dates, Sam has jetted off on a golfing trip to Sicily with pals. His getaway came after it was revealed that he’s set for an awkward run in with ex Zara McDermott's new man Louisin just a few weeks time. They’re both preparing for Soccer Aid on June 15, and the former Made In Chelsea star is set to come face-to-face with the singer at the event. Both Sam and Louis will be playing for England, which they have done in previous years. But some fans are now worried that Sam will pull out of the annual charity football match, which is in support of UNICEF. The Sun revealed Louis and Zara were seen giggling and holding hands while they dined on £100 fish and chips on their date. Sam and Zara, who appeared on Made In Chelsea together, struggled to paper over the insecurities and cracks in their five-year relationship, following a cheating scandal and family feuds. The couple spent last Christmas apart, confirming shortly after that they had ended their relationship after "a tough year". Even before their date, fans of Two of Us singer Louis were sure he’d become the new man on documentary-maker Zara’s roster. Last week, the pair's followers went into overdrive when they noticed they had both recently started following each other on Instagram. Not only that, but eagle-eyed fans also spotted that Louis' sisters - including influencer Lottie Tomlinson, 26, and twins Daisy and Phoebe, 20 - follow Zara too. Speculation that they were dating was further fuelled after it was noticed that they had "liked" each other's recent sexy pics. Zara dropped Louis a click on a recent modelling photo that he shared, while he returned the favour on a snap of her in a stunning white gown at the Brit Awards.