Perrie Edwards Opens Up On Jesy Nelson Rift And Says She Was ‘Heartbroken’ Over Former Bandmate’s Twins’ Diagnosis
Perrie Edwards has spoken candidly about her strained relationship with former Little Mix bandmate Jesy Nelson, while admitting she was left devastated by the heartbreaking diagnosis of Jesy’s twin daughters.
Jesy, 34, recently revealed that her baby girls, Story and Ocean, had been diagnosed with SMA1, a serious genetic condition. The news prompted an emotional response from Perrie, who said that despite their difficult history, she would never want to see her former friend suffer.
Speaking on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast, Perrie, 32, reflected on the bond the Little Mix members will always share after spending so many years together in the spotlight.
She said that although the group’s friendship had not ended in the way she once hoped, and although she and Jesy are no longer close or involved in each other’s lives, there remains a connection between them that is difficult to explain.
Perrie admitted she still feels affected by what happens to her former bandmates, saying she believes the other girls likely feel the same.
“When I think about everything we went through as a group, even though it ended in a way I didn’t want, I still feel everything the girls feel,” she said.
She added that watching Jesy go through such a painful situation with her daughters had been deeply upsetting.
“It broke my heart,” Perrie admitted. “You would never wish that on anyone. It is absolutely horrific.”
The singer made it clear that although there have been personal issues between them, she did not want to see Jesy hurt.
“I don’t want to see her in pain,” Perrie said. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Jesy left Little Mix in 2020, with Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie continuing as a trio before the band later went on hiatus.
Since then, the relationship between Jesy and her former bandmates has remained the subject of intense speculation, particularly after Jesy spoke about her exit in her documentary Life After Little Mix.
In the film, Jesy made a number of claims about the period leading up to her departure, including how isolated she felt during one of the lowest points of her life.
She said that after trying to explain her feelings to the group, she remembered responses that left her feeling alone and unsupported.
The documentary clearly affected Perrie, who admitted on the podcast that part of her had once wanted to repair the friendship.
However, she said that feeling changed after watching the programme.
When asked whether she could ever see herself rebuilding her relationship with Jesy, Perrie replied honestly that a part of her had wanted to — until the documentary aired.
She explained that another part of her then felt she needed to close that chapter.
Perrie insisted she does not see herself as a cruel person, but said she has learned to protect her own peace and remove certain energies from her life when necessary.
“I’m not a nasty person,” she said. “I don’t have a nasty bone in my body, but I can cut you off.”
She added that there had been both private and public issues between them, and that she no longer had the emotional energy to keep someone in her life if the relationship felt unhealthy.
While Perrie said she would always have love for Jesy because of their shared past, she admitted she could no longer allow that dynamic into her personal space.
The comments mark one of Perrie’s most open reflections yet on the fallout from Little Mix’s most difficult chapter.
The group, who rose to fame after winning The X Factor in 2011, became one of the biggest girl bands in British pop history. But behind the success, the pressures of fame, public scrutiny and personal struggles eventually took their toll.
For fans, Perrie’s remarks are likely to be bittersweet. They show that while the bond between the former bandmates has not fully disappeared, the hurt from their split remains complicated and unresolved.
At the same time, her words about Jesy’s daughters show that compassion remains, even after years of distance.
For Perrie, the message was clear: she may have stepped away from the friendship, but she has not forgotten the history they shared — or the pain of seeing someone she once loved face such a heartbreaking moment.
