Zara McDermott faces huge backlash by viewers over Thailand documentary

Zara McDermott has come under attack following her "one-sided" portrayal of Thailand in her latest documentary Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise. The former Strictly Come Dancing star, 28, filmed her three-part docuseries in the southeast Asian country in the hope of showing viewers what really goes on in the party islands of the country.

However, viewers of the BBC documentary have hit back with gusto, claiming that the TV personality failed to show a balanced view of the country, which relies heavily on tourism.

The trailer, which can be viewed on BBC iPlayer, shows Zara visiting cities, including Bangkok. In one part of the trailer, she is seen drinking from a bottle at one of Thailand's "hedonistic parties" and speaking to someone who describes the country as "Benidorm on steroids."

The man claimed that Thailand was "cheap, cheerful and full of women." The trailer also shows the moment when one of the film crew were nearly arrested for filming in a red light district in Bangkok.

However, one seasoned traveller was left angry and bemused by the docuseries. The viewer described it as "one-sided and sensationalised."

They wrote: "Having lived and worked in Thailand and travelled extensively across the country as a young single woman, I can confidently say that this is an unfair and skewed portrayal of a beautiful nation and its kind, welcoming people." And this comment was liked by many.

Another wrote: "Thailand, a country heavily reliant on tourism, deserves more responsible and balanced reporting." A third person said: "Her documentary on Thailand felt poorly handled. As an Asian viewer, I was repulsed by how judgmental and patronising it is."

Meanwhile a fourth described it as an "ignorant portrayal of an entire country." And a fifth chimed in saying: "narrow and negative perspective on the country."

They went on to say: "Amazing people, completely safe and the most interesting place I’ve ever been. Feels like a reach for views. Explore the whole country please."

But this is not the first time Zara has been the subject of backlash. Back in March this year, resurfaced footage emerged from a BBC debate revealing her views on immigration.

Her views were found by One Direction fans after she went public with her romance with the 1D singer Louis Tomlinson. The fans found a video from a 2028 BBC debate where Zara, who claims to be pro-Brexit, was seen in discussion with Magid Magid, who was the mayor of Sheffield at the time.

The debate was on Brexit and immigration. In the footage, Zara described herself as "conservative." She went on to say: "For me it's less about immigration and more about the fact that people can’t keep, almost, coming and taking advantage of things like the NHS and the health system and then leaving because it’s unfair."

One fan who was left fuming over her views, wrote: "Louis, if you're gonna stunt...maybe do it with someone who actually aligns with your values. (Unless this DOES align with his values. And in that case there are bigger problems imo)".

Another person said: "This girl still seems pretty clueless she didn't even know what a people's vote was." Meanwhile a third person added: "The fact she was a civil servant is so worrying, considering how misinformed she is."

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