Pop singer Jesy Nelson has publicly confirmed her separation from fiancé Zion Foster, revealing that the traumatic circumstances surrounding her difficult pregnancy and their twin daughters' rare genetic diagnosis ultimately led to the relationship's collapse.
Traumatic Health Journey Takes Toll on Relationship
The 34-year-old former Little Mix star shared the deeply personal news after disclosing that her twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, had been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle wastage. Nelson explained that the series of challenging events proved overwhelming for the couple's four-year relationship.
"We have been through such a traumatic experience and for us, our girls are our main priority and our main focus," Nelson told the Daily Mail. "We want to give them the most positive, happy and uplifting time and energy and because we have both been through such a traumatic experience, the energy wasn't right between us, which is understandable."
United in Co-Parenting Despite Separation
Despite the romantic relationship ending, Nelson emphasised that she and Foster remain friends and are completely united in their commitment to co-parenting their daughters. "That's all we can do, be the best possible parents we can right now," she stated, highlighting their shared dedication to providing stability and care for their children during this challenging period.
The singer's revelations come ahead of her new Prime Video documentary series, Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, scheduled for release next week. The documentary captures her navigating a complicated pregnancy during which she discovered her daughters were monochorionic diamniotic identical twins with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare condition where both babies share a placenta.
Campaigning for Newborn Screening Reform
Both Nelson and Foster have become vocal advocates for healthcare reform following their daughters' SMA Type 1 diagnosis. They have criticised what Foster described as a "huge flaw" in the UK healthcare system and are actively campaigning for SMA screenings to be included in the newborn blood spot test, commonly known as the heel prick test.
The couple have started a petition to get the condition added to the screening programme, which currently tests for nine rare but serious health conditions when babies are five days old. According to the NHS website, the UK National Screening Committee does not currently recommend SMA screening but has commissioned work to reassess this position due to recent developments in treatment.
Treatment Progress and Health Advocacy
Nelson revealed that her daughters have now received treatment - a one-off infusion that inserts the missing gene back into their bodies and prevents further muscle deterioration. However, she noted that the treatment cannot regenerate muscles that have already been lost to the condition.
The singer's advocacy work has gained political attention, with Labour MP Wes Streeting reportedly moved to tears during discussions about the campaign for newborn testing reform. Nelson's personal journey from pop stardom to health advocacy represents a significant evolution in her public life and priorities.
Reflections on Little Mix and Motherhood
In a separate interview with The Sun this week, Nelson reflected on how motherhood has changed her perspective on her former Little Mix bandmates. "I've never spoken horrendously about Little Mix," she said. "Even though I've had crappy times in terms of my mental health and what being in the band did to me, our sisterhood, my relationship that I had with them and the years I did spend with them were amazing."
She added: "That's the reason why Little Mix were so successful because we genuinely were like sisters at one point, we were genuinely best friends."
Nelson's mental health struggles during her time with Little Mix were previously documented in her BBC documentary Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out, which explored the devastating impact of online bullying on her wellbeing. The singer shot to fame as part of the group alongside Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards after winning The X Factor in 2011, before leaving the band in 2020 to pursue a solo career.
