In December 2020, Little Mix fans around the world were shocked when Jesy Nelson announced her departure from the band, citing mental health issues as her reason for leaving. And then, a year later the three remaining band members - Jade Thirwall, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock - announced the band would be on hiatus following their 2022 tour. Cue broken hearts everywhere.
In the years that followed the women have gone onto have successful solo careers, where they're frequently asked in interviews about their former band members. So what have they all said about each other in the last few years since Jesy's departure kicked off what some fans have called a 'feud' between Jesy and the other girls?
Well, today (13 February) sees Jesy release her docu-series Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, where she opens up about her time in the band and her relationships with Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne.
Here's everything she and the rest of Little Mix have all said about each other since Jesy quit the band in 2020.
Everything Little Mix has said about each other
December 2020 - Jesy leaves the band
After being in Little Mix since the band formed on X Factor in 2011, in November 2020 it was announced Jesy would be taking time off from the band for medical reasons.
A month later, she then announced she was permanently leaving the band, citing the priority of her mental health as her reason for departure.
In a candid statement Jesy wrote at the time: "The truth is recently being in the band has really taken a toll on my mental health. I find the constant pressure of being in a girl group and living up to expectations very hard."
She added: "There comes a time in life when we need to reinvest in taking care of ourselves rather than focussing on making other people happy, and I feel like now is the time to begin that process."
Following her statement, Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne put out their own words of support, telling fans they understood Jesy's decision and wished her love.
"This is an incredibly sad time for all of us but we are fully supportive of Jesy. We love her very much and agree that it is so important that she does what is right for her mental health and well-being. We are still very much enjoying our Little Mix journey and the 3 of us are not ready for it to be over," the trio wrote on the band's Instagram page.
August 2021 - Jesy said she doesn't speak to the girls
Nearly a year after her departure from the band, Jesy was interviewed by The Guardian about her new solo career.
During the interview she was asked how she felt about the band now being a trio, to which she replied: "I think they’re just as sick as a three. They’re still doing it for girl power. I still love them to pieces. They were like my sisters."
However, when asked if she was still in contact with them, she said they really didn't talk much, adding: "No, not as much. Not now. I think we all need time. It’s a big thing that’s happened.”
October 2021 - Alleged DMs leak
Jesy went onto release her first solo single after leaving the band 'BOYZ' in collaboration with Nicki Minaj, which prompted backlash from fans who accused Jesy of 'Black fishing'. The pair ended up doing an Instagram Live, and during this they discussed an alleged comment made by Leigh-Anne via a DM, to TikToker No Hun, where Leigh-Anne apparently suggests No Hun makes a video about Jesy being "a Black fish". The DMs were never verified.
And in Nicki and Jesy's Instagram Live, Nicki appeared to critique Leigh-Anne, while Jesy seemed to be laughing along.
Soon after on Leigh-Anne's 30th birthday, Leigh-Anne made a comment that seemed to address the situation, when she said: "I'm 30 years old, I know my character, you all know my character, everyone who meets me knows my character. That’s all I care about."
Jesy has always denied allegations of 'Black fishing', and following the release of her single went onto apologise, saying she never meant to offend anyone or to appear "racially ambiguous."
October 2023 - Leigh-Anne says Jesy leaving the band left the girls 'traumatised'
Three years after Jesy departed Little Mix, Leigh-Anne released her memoir Believe, and as part of it opened up about how the group felt about Jesy leaving.
"It was a complex and painful thing to come to terms with. We all felt it, that pain and sadness. The whole thing felt like a weird break-up, and I wasn’t prepared for it," she wrote in the book. "I wasn’t prepared for the intensity of those emotions. The whole thing was abrupt and sad and then it was messy, which made it even more painful.”
Leigh-Anne added later on in the memoir: "We were a family, the four of us were like sisters, and we had been that way since we were teenagers, so it’s not an over-exaggeration to say that losing a member was a traumatic experience."
July 2024 - Perrie says it's 'heartbreaking' she doesn't talk to Jesy
During her cover interview with Cosmopolitan UK, Perrie opened up about where things stood with her former band mate, revealing the pair don't speak anymore.
"We don’t talk, and haven’t done for a long time," she said. "It’s really sad, it’s heartbreaking. But sometimes these things happen and people decide they want to part ways, and that’s absolutely fine. I would rather it went differently, but you can’t control how things go."
May 2025 - Perrie reveals she wrote a song about their pair's friendship breakup
While appearing on Alison Hammond's Big Weekend, Perrie revealed she had written a song about the end of her friendship with Jesy.
Speaking to Alison she said: "I wrote a song about it. Every time I listen to it, I cry. I think losing a friend in that same dynamic or in that same world is just as bad, if not worse, than losing (a partner)."
August 2025 - Jade says she wished they'd handled things 'differently'
During promotion for her first solo album That’s Showbiz Baby! back in August last year, Jade revealed she wish they had all handled things when it came to Jesy leaving the band.
Speaking to The Guardian, Jade said: "Obviously we don’t speak any more, and things happened that I don’t think should have, but I still do feel an element of protection towards Jesy. Nobody fully understands how complex the whole thing was – it wasn’t just a case of someone wanting to leave."
13 February 2026 - Jesy claims another member of the band wanted to quit before her
On 13 February, Jesy released her docu-series Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix on Prime Video. During the series, she opened up about her own experience of quitting the band, but alleged another member of the band had wanted to quit before her.
"One of the girls had decided they didn’t want to be in the band any more. I remember feeling my whole world had fallen apart," she said.
Jesy didn't reveal the name of the person who wanted to leave, but seemingly ruled Jade out, after she said, "It was a really sad day — me and Jade really cried. I was devastated." Therefore alleging Leigh-Anne or Perrie wanted to quit.
13 February 2026 - Jesy says all the girls have reached out following heartache
Earlier today, Jesy appeared on This Morning, where she spoke about her documentary and also gave an update that the girls are back in contact following her children's' diagnosis.
Back in January Jesy revealed her twin daughters had been diagnosed with SMA1, a rare genetic disorder that causes severe muscle weakness.
While appearing on This Morning, she shared all three other members of Little Mix had reached out to her following this difficult news.
"They've all reached out. It's been lovely. I feel like it's very healing, it's lovely. We were genuinely best friends. Things happen in life, it doesn't always go how you think it's going to, but three of us are mums now, " she shared. "We've all had time to heal. It's been five years, nearly six years, and I think it's just one of them things that takes time. Who knows what will happen, but since they've been reaching out, it's lovely. It's definitely healed a part of me for sure."
Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix is available to watch on Prime Video now
