Six years after her emotional departure from Little Mix, Jesy Nelson has found herself at the center of renewed hope for a band reunion—a possibility that seemed almost unimaginable not long ago. The catalyst? An outpouring of support from her former bandmates following the devastating news that Jesy’s nine-month-old twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, had been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, a rare and life-altering muscle-wasting condition.
According to heatworld, the bonds between Jesy and her former bandmates—Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall—have been quietly mending. Once marked by a high-profile fallout and years of silence, the group’s dynamic has shifted as each member has faced the transformative journey of motherhood. Jesy, now 34, recently shared, “We’re all mums now… and I’d like to think that we probably see things a lot differently. I have so much love for them and always will. So, never say never.”
Jesy’s exit from Little Mix in December 2020 was both headline-grabbing and deeply personal. She cited the relentless pressures of fame and the toll it took on her mental health. In her candid documentary, Life After Little Mix, which premiered on Prime Video earlier this month, Jesy revealed the depth of her struggles, including a secret suicide attempt just days before she left the band. “They have healed a part of me I never thought was possible,” Jesy said of her daughters, reflecting on how motherhood has transformed her outlook and helped her find strength amid adversity.
The twins’ diagnosis at the end of 2025 was a crushing blow. SMA type 1, as described by the Cleveland Clinic and highlighted by Leigh-Anne Pinnock in an interview with People, is an inherited neuromuscular disorder that weakens and wastes away muscles due to the loss of specific nerve cells controlling movement. “I didn’t even know that that was a condition,” Pinnock admitted, adding, “That should be something that you leave the hospital knowing.”
Jesy’s daughters have since received life-saving gene therapy to halt the progression of the disease, but doctors have told her they will never walk. The emotional and physical toll of caring for the twins also strained Jesy’s relationship with her fiancé, Zion Foster, leading to their breakup. Yet, amid these challenges, Jesy has found purpose in advocacy, becoming a patron for SMA UK and launching a petition to add SMA testing to the NHS newborn heel-prick test—a campaign that has already garnered over 100,000 signatures.
In a testament to the power of shared experience and empathy, Perrie, Leigh-Anne, and Jade reached out to Jesy after learning of her daughters’ diagnosis. “We’ve obviously all reached out and [are] just sending all just love, strength, positivity,” Pinnock told People, praising Jesy’s courage in raising awareness. This reconnection has brought about a sense of healing for Jesy, who described the renewed contact as “very healing” and “lovely” during an interview with ITV’s This Morning.
The possibility of a Little Mix reunion has naturally stirred excitement among fans and those close to the group. As heatworld reports, “It’s no secret that Jesy and the girls had an almighty fallout when she left Little Mix and at one point, it seemed as though there was no going back. But time heals and with everything that’s gone on with them, feelings change.” There’s a growing sense that the shared challenges of motherhood and personal growth may pave the way for a comeback—one that would be both healing and empowering for Jesy and her former bandmates.
The band’s hiatus in 2022 allowed each member to explore solo projects and develop their identities outside of the group. Leigh-Anne Pinnock, for instance, released her debut solo album, My Ego Told Me To, on February 20, 2026, following the earlier solo releases from Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards. Despite their individual pursuits, the Little Mix members have continued to support one another’s endeavors. Thirlwall and Edwards attended Pinnock’s solo concerts in 2024, while Edwards and Pinnock have also shown up for Thirlwall’s performances. “We’re all so supportive of each other,” Pinnock said. “We’re all in our own little lane doing our own thing. And if anything, I’m just so proud of them. They’ve both just absolutely smashed it, and I love them so much. And I know that they’re rooting for me as well.”
Jesy’s own journey has been marked by introspection and nostalgia. “Even before Jesy became a mum, she had been looking back at some of the happier times with the band and feeling nostalgic. She’s done much soul searching and so have the others,” a source told heatworld. The group acknowledges that many of their past issues stemmed from miscommunication and the pressures of being in the spotlight. “They all agree that a lot of the problems they had were never properly communicated and they’re certainly not the only girlband to have suffered from in-fighting and being pitted against each other. Jesy’s recent comments about the girls are a way of showing a sign of solidarity,” the source added.
While Jesy’s priority remains her daughters, there’s a sense that reconnecting with her bandmates—and potentially reuniting as Little Mix—could be a source of healing and strength. “What she’s going through at times has felt like a living nightmare, but she also knows she has to be strong and wants to provide a good life for her twins,” an insider shared with heatworld. “The idea of a comeback with Little Mix feels like a dream scenario and she has said she would find it incredibly healing. The girls would be up for it, too. They all know they have a lot of power in coming back as a band. It’s not going to happen tomorrow, but the idea has been heating up. It’s been feeling just like old times, which is just what Jesy needs right now.”
As Jesy continues her advocacy for SMA awareness and support, her personal resilience and the renewed connections with her former bandmates have inspired many. The possibility of a Little Mix reunion, once dismissed as wishful thinking, now feels more tangible than ever. For Jesy, Perrie, Leigh-Anne, and Jade, the path forward is uncertain, but the bonds of friendship, motherhood, and shared history may yet bring them back to the stage—stronger and more united than before.