Jesy Nelson reveals the heartbreaking reason behind her split from fiancé Zion Foster as she recalls moment her world ‘fell apart’ following her twin daughters’ SMA diagnosis

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Jesy Nelson has shared the sad reason she and her fiancé, Zion Foster, ended their engagement after only four months.

Perrie Edwards, 34, recently ended her four-year relationship with Zion, 26. This came shortly after their twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, received a diagnosis of SMA Type 1, a rare condition that weakens muscles.

Jesy recently shared with the Daily Mail how a difficult series of events led to the end of her relationship with Zion. She explained that their connection changed, and they are now focused on raising their daughters together as co-parents.

We’ve been through a really difficult time, and our daughters are our top priority right now. We’re focusing all our energy on them.

As a lifestyle expert, I always say creating a joyful atmosphere is key, and that’s what we really wanted for everyone involved. Honestly, after going through something really difficult ourselves, it was tough to get our own energy aligned – and that’s perfectly okay and understandable. We needed time to heal and rebuild that positive connection.

We remain friends and are committed to raising our daughters together. They are our priority, and we’re focusing on being the best parents we can be at this time.

Jesy was excited about becoming a mother, but her pregnancy was challenging. She discovered she was carrying identical twins who shared a single placenta, and they had a rare condition called twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, where one twin receives too much blood and the other not enough.

She was overjoyed when her babies were born healthy, but that happiness was quickly replaced by devastation when they were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy six months later.

I’m a huge supporter of Jesy’s campaign to test all newborns for spinal muscular atrophy. She’s absolutely right – catching it early is everything. A single treatment can make such a massive difference in a baby’s muscle development, giving them the best possible start in life. It’s something I really believe in.

It breaks my heart to hear her talk about it, but she’s still really struggling with the fact that her daughters’ difficulties weren’t picked up sooner. It’s so frustrating for her because doctors initially told her not to compare her twins to other babies, given they were born prematurely. But looking back, that advice actually made things harder for her, because she felt like she wasn’t being taken seriously when she knew something wasn’t quite right.

Honestly, I’m just living day to day right now, and I totally get why she is too. With everything going on with her daughters’ health, it’s all she can focus on, and I admire her so much for that. She’s said herself that even thinking too far ahead feels impossible – and I can just imagine how overwhelming that must be. It’s like, just breathe and get through today, and that’s perfectly okay. I feel so connected to her because of her honesty!

‘The girls are doing really well and they’re happy, that’s all I can really ask for.’

With Jesy Nelson’s split from her partner happening just before her Prime Video documentary airs, the timing feels especially sad. The series, ‘Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix,’ shares the full story of her pregnancy and everything that came with it.

The show will reveal the strong connection Jesy once had with Zion, whom she previously called her ‘best friend’ and the one who gave her a sense of security and hope, just before they broke up.

Jesy was surprised when she found out she was pregnant with twins and worried about whether 25-year-old Zion was prepared to be a father. However, she later realized she always knew his easygoing personality would make him a wonderful dad.

She’s decided to make a documentary about her life, starting with her audition on The X Factor when she was 20. It will cover her journey to international stardom as a member of a hugely popular girl group, and also her experiences becoming a mother to twins.

Jesy originally wanted to make a positive film for her future daughters. However, as she filmed her pregnancy and childbirth, her reasons for making the documentary changed significantly. She ended up focusing more on honestly showing what the experience was really like.

‘No one could ever prepare me for what was about to come,’ she explained. 

It’s really strange to me how things have unfolded ever since I said I was okay with being filmed. It feels like everything that’s happened since then was meant to happen.

Despite how awful and upsetting the experience was, I’m truly thankful the cameras were rolling. You really begin to see the level of access we had in episodes three through six.

You’ve witnessed my journey from the beginning, and I’m incredibly proud of everything I’ve accomplished. I’m especially thankful that my daughters will see how resilient and capable they are, and I hope sharing my story will help others understand the challenges I’ve faced.

On January 4th, Jesy Nelson shared heartbreaking news with her fans: her babies had been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1. She explained that early signs of the condition included trouble with feeding and weak leg movement.

In a heartfelt TikTok video, Jesy shared the difficult and lengthy process she went through before finally receiving a diagnosis.

After a really difficult three or four months and many doctor’s appointments, our daughters have finally been diagnosed with a serious muscle condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA Type 1).

SMA Type 1 is the most serious form of spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that affects babies.

With tears in her eyes, she explained the heartbreaking consequences of not treating the condition, saying, ‘Without treatment, a baby likely won’t live past two years old.’

The new mother was deeply shocked by the diagnosis, especially since she thought she’d already gotten through the hardest part after dealing with difficult complications during her pregnancy.

Jesy was relieved to finally bring her premature babies home, but she soon realized the challenges of early parenthood were just beginning.

Jesy told the Daily Mail that she was once informed the group had very little chance of succeeding. She admitted it’s still upsetting to talk about, even now.

I used to worry about how I’d cope if the people I was relying on weren’t around, especially with cameras recording everything – I wondered if I’d actually prepared myself for that situation.

Jesy described the moment the diagnosis was confirmed as world-shattering. 

‘When the girls got their diagnosis, I felt like my whole world just fell apart,’ she said.

The time surrounding my children’s birth was incredibly intense. Being in the hospital, caring for them as premature babies, was a very overwhelming experience for me.

Bringing them home felt like a huge relief – I finally felt safe and thought I could relax and enjoy being a mom. But then everything changed, and I just felt completely lost and overwhelmed.

A lot has happened in my life, and at one point I told my mom it felt like someone was deliberately testing me.

I’m incredibly thankful they’re still with us – things could have turned out so much worse. I’m just so grateful for my daughters, who are strong and wonderful to raise.

As someone who follows celebrity lifestyles closely, I remember when Jesy Nelson first gained prominence with Little Mix, alongside Perrie, Leigh-Anne, and Jade. It was a huge surprise to many when she decided to leave the group in December 2020 after nearly a decade. Recently, she’s been sharing more about her personal journey, and revealed that, looking back, she never really had a desire to have children when she was younger. It’s interesting how perspectives can change over time, isn’t it?

She used to talk about the topic with her old bandmates, and she was certain she didn’t want children. But that all changed when she found out she was pregnant.

Jesy Nelson has said that after struggling with feeling directionless, dealing with online harassment during her time in Little Mix, and going through public breakups, becoming a mother has finally given her a sense of purpose.

She explained that even during her time in the band, people constantly asked her if she wanted children. She always firmly replied, ‘No, definitely not!’ and emphasized that her pregnancy was a complete surprise.

Honestly, looking back, it feels a little crazy to think of life before these people. They’ve had such a profound impact on me, helping me grow into the person I always aspired to be. I truly can’t picture my life without them now.

For a long time, I felt lost and was searching for meaning in my life. Then they came along and gave me that purpose, filling a void I hadn’t realized how deeply I felt.

My life revolves around my children, and I’m completely happy with that. It’s amazing to look at them and feel proud of the lives we’ve built together.

It’s incredible when I think about how fragile they were – their chances of survival were so low. They battled through Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, and all the while, they were also dealing with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which I wasn’t even aware of. Despite everything, they’re still fighting and still smiling, which is amazing.

There are definitely times when I feel overwhelmed and think things are incredibly difficult, but those feelings actually remind me what’s most important and give my life meaning.

During her advocacy work, Jesy Nelson spoke with Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who agreed with her concerns about the lengthy delays people face when trying to get a diagnosis.

She wants spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to be included in the newborn screening test, which is usually done around five days after a baby is born to check for rare and serious diseases.

Despite having a large and supportive fanbase of over 10 million people, Jesy remains deeply upset thinking about the families and children who experienced similar struggles before her and weren’t given a voice.

She expressed feeling deeply upset and a mix of emotions, primarily sadness and anger. If anything, those feelings have only intensified.

It just breaks my heart! For years, so many incredible people have been pouring their hearts out, desperately trying to get others to listen, but nobody seems to take them seriously. It’s like they’re shouting into the void, and it’s just…wrong. They deserve to be heard, and it’s infuriating that they haven’t been!

It’s frustrating because as soon as I get involved, people start treating the situation with excessive seriousness, and it feels really unfair. I wish things weren’t like that.

It’s upsetting that this happened, but I’m trying to focus on the fact that people are finally listening. I’m thankful for the opportunity to use my voice and hopefully create some positive change, which helps me feel a little better about the situation.

It’s heartbreaking to think that this treatment, which can dramatically improve lives and has been around since 2018, could have prevented so much suffering for me and countless other families.

Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix is available on Prime Video on February 13

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2026-02-03 04:15