X Factor

Jesy Nelson’s documentary has brought the X Factor winners back into the spotlight – but what are they up to these days?

Little Mix’s unexpected split has come back into conversation following Jesy Nelson’s recent admission that another band member tried to walk away first.

Fans of the iconic group were left heartbroken when Jesy announced she was quitting the band in 2020, citing mental health reasons.

She left her bandmates Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall to continue carrying the torch, but they soon went on a hiatus in 2022.

The X Factor winners’ legacy is still carried by their catchy tunes, which still attract over 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

In light of Jesy sharing behind-the-scenes truths about the band, let’s take a look at where they are today.

Jesy Nelson

Jesy has recently opened up about her life since leaving the band in a new Prime Video docuseries, Life After Little Mix.

The 34-year-old had a short-lived solo music career because her first single sparked backlash. She released ‘Boyz’ featuring Nicki Minaj in 2021, and followed it up with a music video.

Fans accused Jesy of ‘Blackfishing’ in the video, which featured her wearing makeup and fake tan that they claim made her appear Black or mixed-race. This scandal caused so much headache for the star that she vowed to never return to music in her new documentary.

Outside of music, Jesy was in a long-term relationship with ex fiancé Zion Foster, which came to an end earlier this month. The former couple welcomed twin daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe in May 2025.

Following their birth, the singer discovered they had a life-threatening condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1. The rare genetic condition causes progressive muscle weakness. Jesy is now campaigning to raise awareness about the condition.

Perrie Edwards

Perrie focused on her family life following the group’s hiatus in May 2022, as she had just welcomed her first son Axel months prior.

The 32-year-old has since welcomed daughter Alanis with footballer fiancé Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. But she hasn’t forgotten about music. The mum-of-two released her debut album ‘Perrie’ last year and dropped new single ‘Woman in Love’ earlier this month.

Her first album featured the ballad ‘Same Place Different View,’ which is widely understood to be about her former bandmate Jesy.

The lyrics delve into the pain of losing a close friendship and how these losses can be just as devastating as romantic break ups.

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Leigh-Anne Pinnock

Leigh-Anne also married a famous footballer named Andre Gray. The couple share twins but have kept their identities private.

As for her music career, Leigh-Anne has just dropped her first studio album ‘My Ego Told Me To’ and will be touring this April.

Announcing her tour to fans, she wrote: “I’m going on tour baby!!! I can’t tell you how excited I am to perform this album live for you! Get me back to my happy place nowww! This one’s going to be so special!”

Jade Thirlwall

Jade is also embarking on a tour, which spans across the UK, Europe and the US. It comes after her first album ‘That’s Showbiz Baby!’ dropped in September.

The 33-year-old bagged two BRIT Award nominations for Best Pop Act and Artist of the Year following her debut.

As for her personal life, Jade is in a long-term relationship with Rizzle Kicks members Jordan Stephens.

Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix is streaming now on Prime Video.

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Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, which is out on Amazon Prime, follows Jesy’s life after she left Little Mix back in 2020, including her reflections on fame, pressure, and her own personal truth about that period

Jesy Nelson’s Amazon Prime Video documentary, which is out today (Friday February 13) is a major new six-part series.

Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix follows Jesy’s life after she left Little Mix back in 2020, including her reflections on fame, pressure, and her own personal truth about that period. It’s her most candid account yet of why she departed the group and how she’s processed everything that happened. Another central focus of the documentary is Jesy’s pregnancy with her twin girls, Ocean Jade and Story. The cameras follow the 34-year-old Romford star through what became a high-risk pregnancy including complications like twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and emergency medical moments.

After the birth is also covered, when Jesy’s daughters were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 — a severe, progressive genetic condition that causes muscle weakness.

Jesy uses the documentary to share her family’s real-time experience with this diagnosis and to raise awareness about it, including campaigning for expanded newborn screening in the NHS.

Besides the physical journey, the Amazon Prime series also revisits her personal and emotional challenges, including struggles with the pressure of fame, mental health battles, and what it’s been like stepping back from one of the UK’s biggest pop acts.

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Many fans have been excited to watch the documentary, however some have confessed online they ‘don’t think they can watch it’ for one reason – that it will leave them too emotional.

One person wrote: “I’m not gonna handle this well I’m already emotional about it.”

While another added: “My heart. I don’t even think I can watch this. I’m already crying.”

A third chimed in: “I’m gonna weep aren’t I,” while a fourth added: “She deserves to tell her side of the story after years of being silent.”

Jesy recently confessed that she considered leaving Little Mix after just two years as she struggled to cope with the pressure and the spotlight after winning The X Factor.

However, she went on to spend a decade in the band before quitting.

Jesy said: “That [leaving] presented itself far before I made that decision.

“There was a time where I was like ‘Oh, I want to leave’ and I remember sitting down with my family… and it was actually because of my brother that in the end I stayed.”

She added: “The first time I wanted to leave I remember I went home and we were kinda weighing up the [pros and cons]… and at that point we weren’t even like at our biggest.

“We were, it had only been like two years, but we were still big. Everyone still knew who Little Mix were so it was like ‘if you leave now, what are you going to do?’”

Speak on the Great Company with Jamie Laing podcast, Jesy also praised her brother for his advice that ultimately kept her in the band and for encouraging her to make as much money as she could off of Little Mix‘s fame.

“My brother was like ‘you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for and I think you can stick this out for another few years,” she explained.

The X Factor star has embraced a new “mindful” lifestyle, as she prioritises her “healing”.

X Factor legend Honey G is unrecognisable after embracing a new “mindful” lifestyle, ten years after she first found fame.

The former contestant, whose real name is Anna Gilford, appeared on the 13th series of the singing competition, which was won by Matt Terry.

She’s since credited Simon Cowell’s show for changing her life after admitting she was in a dark place before The X Factor.

She previously said: “I’m very grateful for what X Factor did for me, it changed me. It’s boosted my confidence. Before X Factor, I was in a dark place, and it put me in a happier place.”

She’s now revealed that her life is completely different these days, worlds away from the look she had when she first auditioned for Missy Elliott’s Work It rap.

In a post yesterday, the TV star shared an unrecognisable picture on Instagram as she spoke about mindfulness.

Honey G wrote: “A lot of people think stress and burnout mean they’re doing something wrong — not managing their time well enough, not being disciplined enough, not trying hard enough.

“But often it’s not about effort at all. It’s about capacity.

“When your nervous system has been under pressure for a long time, even things that help — rest, journaling, movement, mindfulness — can feel hard to access. Not because you don’t care, but because your system is tired.

“Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is stop pushing for change and start creating small pockets of safety and space, exactly where we are.

“Gentleness isn’t giving up. It’s often where healing actually begins.”

Alongside the caption, she posted an image of herself in a red headscarf and sunglasses, a far cry from the trademark cap and bomber jacket with which she rose to fame.

Her post was showered in support, with one fan writing: “So true! Sometimes we need to just relax and stop trying to do everything. It’s ok to take a break.”

Another said, “I love u, Honey G,” as a third wrote, “Thank you, Honey G, this was beautifully written. Very inspiring.”

The star has previously spoken about how she looks “completely different” after shedding two stone from gym workouts, which she often shares online.

She previously told The Daily Star in 2023: “I’ve had a personal trainer for the past two years and he’s helped me change my whole body shape. I’ve been doing triathlons as well. My body is quite robust because when I was younger, I used to be a county tennis player. But I’m combining it all with diet as well.

“It’s still ongoing, it is a work in progress, but I’m working really hard and just trying to be the best version of myself.”

She added, “The fitness transformation has given me the confidence to dress in more adventurous clothing and clothing that is more feminine. If I want to wear my tracksuits, I will rock them. If I want to put a dress on, then I can.

“I’m a strong independent woman and can rock whatever look I want and I just hope nobody criticizes me for it.”