Perrie Edwards says Jesy Nelson’s twins’ SMA diagnosis ‘broke’ her despite estrangement
Perrie Edwards commented on her relationship with former bandmate Jesy Nelson (Image: Getty)
Perrie Edwards has said she was “broken” after learning that former Little Mix bandmate Jesy Nelson’s twin daughters were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy Type 1 (SMA1). Edwards made the comments during a Great Company podcast interview with Jamie Laing.
Reflecting on where they stand now, Edwards said she and Nelson are “not that close anymore” and “we’re not in each other’s lives”, but insisted their shared history still hits hard. “We’ll always have that weird connection. And seeing Jesy go through that, it broke me,” she said.
Edwards added: “Because you wouldn’t wish that on anyone. It’s literally wild.” She continued: “I don’t want to see her hurt and I don’t want to see any of that. It’s heartbreaking.”
Perrie on Jesy and the documentary
Asked whether there was a way back to friendship, Edwards suggested she pulled back further after Nelson’s documentary Life After Little Mix. “If I’m being completely transparent, part of me wanted to until the documentary. And then part of me withdrew again,” she said.
Edwards also said she does not have “the capacity” for a relationship with Nelson anymore, adding: “There’s personal things, there’s public things, there’s everything. I don’t have the capacity for somebody like that in my life anymore. And that might make me sound like a bitch, but I just don’t have the energy for it.”
In the same conversation, Edwards said she was upset that Nelson, in her view, did not take accountability for her actions during the final months of Little Mix.
Little Mix context
Nelson left Little Mix in December 2020 after saying the pressure had taken a toll on her mental health. The remaining members later announced they were taking a hiatus in 2022.
Little Mix have long been embraced by LGBTQ+ audiences, with a strong presence at Pride events and in queer nightlife playlists. Edwards has previously spoken about the pressures of fame and tabloid scrutiny, including Little Mix weighing the risks of flying a Pride flag in Dubai.
