Former Little Mix star Perrie Edwards has described her split from ex-fiancé Zayn Malik as 'hellish' and suggested 'there was a bit of an overlap' with his subsequent relationship. The 32-year-old singer reflected on the challenges of navigating heartbreak in the public eye, admitting she experienced 'serious breakdowns' and felt 'ridiculed'.
Background of the Relationship
Edwards met Malik while appearing on The X Factor in 2011, where she won the competition alongside bandmates Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock as part of the pop group Little Mix. The couple confirmed their relationship in 2012 and became engaged nearly two years later, but ultimately separated in 2015.
Emotional Turmoil
Speaking to Jamie Laing on his Great Company podcast, Edwards opened up about the difficulty of the breakup. 'When you go through heartbreak, it is hellish. You can't eat. You can't sleep. You feel horrendous,' she said. 'You feel abandoned and you don't feel good enough, and you feel like you've been left for something better.' She added that the public scrutiny made it worse: 'I felt like the world was then looking at me, laughing at me. I had serious breakdowns, because it wasn't just the heartbreak I was dealing with. I was dealing with everybody looking at me and I felt ridiculed.'
The 'Shout Out To My Ex' singer explained that she 'couldn't cope' but felt compelled to 'power through' for her bandmates. 'I also was getting followed every two seconds and asked about it 24/7, and it was the headlines, it was everywhere, and it was a lot,' she recalled.
Claims of Overlap
When Laing asked whether Malik found the breakup equally difficult, Edwards responded: 'There was a bit of an overlap. I think when you're moving on with somebody else you always get on better. When you're the one left behind, that's when it's hard. It's like, 'oh shit, they've left me for someone more beautiful than me, someone better than me'.' She also referenced Malik's debut solo single 'Pillowtalk', featuring model Gigi Hadid in the music video, saying: 'Then you have a song that they've written about you, but then someone else is in the video – it was one thing after the other. I just remember that, and it was the nail in the coffin.'
Malik, who rose to fame in One Direction, began dating Hadid in 2015. The couple split in 2021 but share a daughter named Khai.
Current Relationship
Edwards is now engaged to footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with whom she has two children: son Axel and daughter Alanis Valentine. Reflecting on her current relationship, she described it as 'healthy love', saying: 'I just love how calm he is and how understanding he is and how caring he is and thoughtful he is. I just feel safe with Alex. I feel just content and happy and it's not effort.'
Malik has been contacted for comment.
