Jesy Nelson recalls her ‘awkward’ final phone call with Little Mix after quitting the band following secret suicide attempt

They became a household name with Little Mix, scoring number one hits, winning awards and touring the world as one of the most successful pop groups to emerge from The X Factor.

But despite the sisterly bond she formed with her bandmates, Jesy Nelson says they became more like strangers after she abruptly left the group in 2020 following a secret suicide attempt.

Nelson, 34, reflected on her painful decision to leave the band and her final interactions with remaining band members Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, warts and all, in the new Amazon Prime docuseries Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix.

‘I had to think about where I was legally before arguing with girls; For example, can I get out of this now?’ he recalled.

‘Unfortunately, before I could let them know the solicitor informed them that I wanted to leave, so I think they were really hurt by it and it should never have ended this way.

‘I’m angry that this was taken away from me and I never had the opportunity to explain why I couldn’t do this anymore.’

She became a household name with Little Mix, scoring number one hits, winning awards and touring the world as one of the most successful pop artists to emerge from The X Factor.

At the time of his overdose, Nelson was scheduled to appear in the final of Little Mix’s BBC talent show The Search, and his absence led to presenter Chris Ramsey revealing he had ‘been ill’.

The singer said his lawyer’s decision to approve his departure without prior permission put him at odds with the band.

He added: ‘I mentally prepared myself and thought: ‘Yes, now I want to sit down with the girls and have a chat with them and tell them why I did what I did, how I felt, really explain it to them and try to get them to understand how I feel.’

‘Then my manager called and said: ‘I’ve talked to the girls and they’re happy to chat to you, but they don’t feel comfortable being in the same room with you unless there’s a therapist there.’

‘And I said: “What? I just got out of the hospital, this is when I need you the most.” I didn’t feel like they were my sisters. It’s been five years now; Every time I think about it I wonder, “Was it them or was it the management?” I ask. I’ll never know because we never had the opportunity to have that conversation.

‘Eventually there was a phone call and it was really weird. It was very strange because it was like talking to strangers.

‘This was the most uncomfortable phone call I’ve ever had, no one knew what to say and it was the last time I spoke to them as a group.’

Nelson, a mother of two, says that despite the stilted farewell, parenthood (both Edwards and Pinnock also welcomed the children) helped them reunite as friends.

Despite the sisterly bond she formed with her bandmates, Jesy Nelson says they became more like strangers after she abruptly left the group following a secret suicide attempt in 2020

Nelson, a mother of two, says that despite the stilted farewell, parenthood — both Edwards and Pinnock also welcomed the children — helped them reunite as friends

He replied: ‘I really don’t know. I see both sides. I understand why they would be upset and hurt. They reached out to me when I was pregnant, which was lovely because I never thought it would happen.

‘It really touched me. We are grown women now, we have children, and I think there are much more important things in life.

‘This is just one of those things that needs to be removed.’

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Little Mix’s Perrie, Leigh-Anne and Jade for comment.