Sam Holland Calls Zendaya His 'Lovely Sister-In-Law' on Cooking Show

Sometimes the most telling acknowledgments arrive not on red carpets or in carefully managed press releases, but in the breezy self-introduction of a cooking competition. That is precisely what happened when Sam Holland, younger brother of Tom Holland, appeared on the sixth season of ITV1 and ITVX's Cooking with the Stars, casually folding one of Hollywood's most closely watched marriages into his professional biography.

A Chef, a Content Creator, and a Famous Family

Sam Holland, 27, joined the latest cycle of Cooking with the Stars as one of the show's professional culinary mentors — a role that pairs seasoned chefs with celebrity contestants to guide them through increasingly demanding kitchen challenges. In the introductory video that precedes each mentor's appearance on the series, Sam laid out his credentials with the confidence of someone who has built a genuine following: over a million social media followers, a cookbook to his name, and a roster of high-profile diners that would impress almost anyone. "Over the years, I've cooked for some high profile celebs, such as Tom Holland and Zendaya," he said, before adding with evident warmth, "and they do happen to be my brother and lovely sister-in-law." The clip was subsequently shared on Twitter/X, according to Just Jared, and the phrase "lovely sister-in-law" was enough to generate its own quiet wave of affection online.

The phrasing matters precisely because it is so unguarded. There is no press strategy behind a cooking show intro, no carefully negotiated statement — just a young chef proud of his family and comfortable enough to name them aloud.

The Holland Brotherhood and Its Charitable Work

Sam is one of four Holland brothers. He and Harry are twins, while Paddy is the youngest of the siblings. The family operates with a notably collaborative spirit: their parents, Nicola and Dominic Holland, work alongside the brothers through The Brothers Trust, a charitable organization the family established in 2017 to support a range of causes. That collective identity — brothers, parents, shared mission — provides useful context for why Sam's reference to Zendaya felt so natural. She is not simply a famous name orbiting the family; she is, by his telling, genuinely part of it.

On the competition itself, Sam was paired with stand-up comedian Seann Walsh, though Walsh was eliminated from the series in an episode that aired earlier this week, bringing that particular mentoring chapter to a close.

A Season of Milestones for the Holland Circle

The broader context surrounding this moment is one of significant personal transitions for the Holland family. Earlier this year it emerged that Tom and Zendaya had quietly married — a revelation that, given both stars' preference for privacy, felt entirely in keeping with how they have approached their relationship from the start. For audiences who have followed [Zendaya's career closely]((/article/zendaya-learned-about-her-odyssey-casting-from-her-husband-first)), the confirmation of the marriage added a real-world dimension to a partnership that has played out largely away from tabloid scrutiny.

Meanwhile, Sam himself is preparing for his own major life event. Over the summer he announced his engagement to his girlfriend, Clark Stewart — meaning the Holland household is, by any measure, navigating a particularly full season of celebrations and commitments.

Why These Small Moments Register

In an era when celebrity relationships are frequently parsed through paparazzi photographs and cryptic social media activity, there is something almost refreshing about a straightforward, unscripted reference like Sam's. Zendaya, whose professional commitments have included a string of high-profile projects — from [her appearance at The Odyssey Paris launch]((/article/zendaya-dazzles-in-iconic-couture-at-the-odyssey-paris-launch)) to fronting the campaign for Spider-Man: Brand New Day — has consistently kept her private life at a careful remove from her public persona. Sam's easy, affectionate aside does not rupture that boundary so much as confirm, warmly and simply, that the personal life she guards is genuinely thriving.

Related on Ni4o: Zendaya Lights Up 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' European Press Tour · Zendaya Learned About Her Odyssey Casting From Her Husband First · Zendaya Dazzles in Iconic Couture at 'The Odyssey' Paris Launch