JLS star Oritse Williams has opened up about the devastating experience of miscarriages he faced alongside his wife, Kazz Kumar Williams. The couple endured two missed miscarriages before finally welcoming their son Shiva Zion Olumide Williams, born late 2024.
During his emotional appearance on ITV's show Loose Women on Monday, Williams described the moment they learned they had experienced a missed miscarriage, saying, "They said it was a missed miscarriage. We didn’t know what it was. We were so baffled, missed miscarriage? What even is tha?" The singer recounted how the entire situation felt surreal, stating it transformed what should have been joyful moments of anticipation and hope.
Missed miscarriages occur when the fetus has died but the body does not recognize the loss and does not expel the tissue. This diagnosis led to the couple being taken to a private room where devastating choices were presented to them about dealing with the loss. "It all just kind of happened so fast, and they took us... about how do you want to deal with the loss of your baby?" Williams recalled, clearly disturbed by the abruptness of their situation.
Reflecting on those moments, Williams expressed, "Any beautiful, great moment... might as well have just thrown it in the bin, because what was happening right there was like a living nightmare." The couple felt robbed of the joy they had anticipated and plunged instead deep within grief.
The singer spoke about their decision to book private scans to confirm the abortions, as they couldn't fathom the idea of something being omitted or miscommunicated. Believing they might be wrong about their situation added layers of confusion and heartache.
Williams detailed how tough it was after the second missed miscarriage, as he dug deep to process these traumatic experiences. At the time, he was embarking on his solo music career, which he thought might offer some respite, but it proved to be more complicated than expected. "I was obviously in a new chapter of my life. I was recording and writing solo music, so I was trying to just focus on throwing myself... but at the same time, trying to be strong for Kazz," he explained, showcasing the internal conflict many partners face during such harrowing times.
His approach to remain stoic eventually took its toll. "There came a point... whereby Kazz kind of turned around to me at home and was like, 'Do you not feel anything? You’ve not told me how you feel.'" This pivotal moment led Williams to reveal the depths of his grief: "I broke down, and I was on the floor, inconsolable, totally devastated, exasperated crying," he shared. This emotional confession indicates how mourning the loss of their pregnancies also inevitably contributed to their struggles as individuals and partners.
Williams expressed just how much he was hurting by witnessing his wife's enduring struggle, stating, "Do you know how much I’m hurting inside? Do you know how much I’ve been hurt watching you be crippled?" His reflection on Kazz's emotional and physical suffering during this process underlined the shared burden they both carried.
Through courage and open dialogue, the couple was able to navigate the dark waters of their grief. On the brighter side, after their heart-wrenching experiences, they welcomed their son, Shiva, and shared the good news on social media with the words, "mummy and daddy love you." This moment signified not only the culmination of their painful experiences but also the start of their family's new chapter.
Oritse Williams’s story is not just one of tragedy but also of resilience and hope. He and Kazz have emerged from their ordeal with renewed strength, ready to embrace life with their newborn son. Their candid discussions about these issues resonate with many who may face similar challenges, highlighting the importance of communicating and supporting one another through the darkest of times.