Zara McDermott is back with a brand-new BBC Three series that promises sun, parties, and paradise, but also a hard look at the risks and realities behind the dream. Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise will land on BBC iPlayer from Monday, 8 September 2025, taking viewers beyond beaches and cocktails to the complicated truths hidden underneath.
With Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise, Zara McDermott is taking on one of the world’s most popular holiday spots and asking the questions most travellers don’t think about until it’s too late. Aimed at young adult viewers, this is more than a travelogue, it’s a wake-up call wrapped in sun, sea, and neon lights.
Zara McDermott – Thailand: the Dark Side of Paradise – Image Credit: BBC/South Shore
Who is Zara McDermott?
Zara McDermott shot to stardom on ITV’s Love Island, where her time in the villa made her a familiar face to millions of viewers. Since then, she has appeared on Made in Chelsea, The X Factor: Celebrity, and even Strictly Come Dancing, but her career has increasingly focused on documentary work with the BBC. Over the past few years, she has built a strong reputation as a presenter, tackling tough subjects with honesty and empathy.
Why Thailand?
Zara first made waves with her BBC series about Ibiza, and it was the success of that project that pushed her towards Asia. She explained: “I made a documentary series about Ibiza. I really enjoyed making it and seeing how destinations operate and evolve, when tourism, particularly British tourism, has become a core function. In some places, the influx of young British tourists can create ecosystems of corruption, confusion and punishment that are eye-opening to witness.”
After researching online stories and news coverage about Thailand, Zara knew it had to be her next destination: “Thailand is a hugely popular destination, and a growing one. It’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit… I wanted to look at this side of tourism, as well as the sex tourism industry that Thailand is so famous for.”
How Past Work Shaped This Series
Zara has spent the last six years tackling serious subjects, including eating disorders. That experience helped her handle some of Thailand’s tougher realities: “My work in the violence against women space allowed me to have some difficult and emotional conversations with sex workers. My aim is for these women to feel completely seen and heard, because I truly believe that sharing our stories helps give us women power.”
She adds that her empathy guided the way she spoke with women working in what she calls an “unpredictable and at times unsafe industry.”
Zara McDermott in Soi Cowboy, Bangkok – Image Credit: BBC/South Shore
Meeting People Along the Way
The new series is built around the stories of people Zara meets across Thailand:
- Loukas, a young Brit in Pattaya, who “went on a real journey of growth through the series” and sparked conversations about sex work.
- Mac, a British YouTuber living in Pattaya, who makes videos with his girlfriend “Beverly Hills.” Zara said: “Mac and I are quite opposing in our views, especially regarding the sex industry, which made for some tricky conversations.”
- Families of tragedy, like the sister of Regan Kelly, a British man found dead off Patong Beach earlier this year. Zara admitted, “It broke my heart to see a family with no real answers. That raw emotion has really stuck with me.”
The Shocks Behind Paradise
Even with plenty of research before filming, Zara says some things still caught her off guard: “I had done a lot of research beforehand, but nothing could prepare me for what I was about to see, especially when it came to the sex industry. I was shocked at some of the cheap, fake alcohol that was on sale, especially at the full moon party. Cannabis was incredibly easily accessible when I was there earlier this year.”
Why Young People Love Thailand
Zara gets why Thailand is irresistible to so many: “I can see why people go to Thailand and never want to go back to the UK: the prices, the freedom, the people, the lifestyle and the beauty of the place. It really does have it all. But that can come with other costs.”
Backpacking also gave her an insight into why gap years are so popular: “I really loved the sense of community that comes with backpacking, people make friends for life… I wish I’d done it when I was younger; it would have built my confidence so much and helped me make lots of new friends.”
Amnarch Laogotee (left with vest and badge) and Zara McDermot with the Bangkok police force, after a drugs raid on the Khaosan Road – Image Credit – BBC/South Shore
Cautionary Tales
Zara highlights stories like that of Shakira, a British woman arrested after buying prescription drugs over the counter: “Meeting Shakira was a huge wake-up call… someone could mistakenly and inadvertently get caught up in huge trouble.” She says her rule-following nature meant she was cautious already, but this experience underlined how quickly a holiday could change.
The show balances fun with danger: “There’s fun everywhere you turn in Thailand! … However, it often comes at a huge cost. I’m always intrigued by the trade-offs, and I want to tell the stories of people who might be losing out from the ‘fun’ side.”
And she makes it clear that moving abroad long-term isn’t as easy as it looks on TikTok: “Holidaying in a destination and living there are two very different things. It was important to show the realities of that, and actually just how difficult that can be. Not only financially, but also politically and socially.”
What Zara Hopes Viewers Learn
The documentary is designed to entertain but also to spark questions: “I think this series is fun and entertaining, but I hope it questions what consequence looks like when you are thousands of miles from home. I hope that audiences will see that actions do have consequences, and you can’t just leave your inhibitions on the plane. Sometimes these consequences can be unpredictable.”
At the same time, she promises a show with her personality all over it: “This series contains a bit more fun, and has some more of my personality injected into it, but at its core it asks important questions about the ethics of the sex industry… it looks at justice (and injustice), it looks at social and moral principles.”
The Social Media Factor
Of course, Instagram and YouTube play a role in Thailand’s appeal. Zara points out: “Social media gives an illusion of Thailand which, at times, is real, true and representative of the real thing: it’s beautiful, the people and parties are amazing… But scratch beneath the surface and there can be complications that tourists may not know about.”
Zara’s Previous Documentaries
Zara has already proved she can handle some of the most serious subjects facing young adults in Britain these days. Some of her biggest BBC docs include:
- Disordered Eating (2022): exploring how social media and trolling impact body image.
- Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge (2023): looking into the disappearance of teenager Gaia Pope.
- Ibiza: Secrets of the Party Island (2024): uncovering the reality behind the island’s party scene.
What’s Next for Zara?
The BBC confirms Zara is already researching her next destination doc. She adds: “I’d love to do more projects that cover violence against women and women’s issues.”