Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson and fiancé Zion Foster have split up after four yearsCredit: jesynelson/Instagram
Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson and her fiancé Zion Foster have quietly ended their four-year relationship in the shadow of their twin daughters’ life-altering health battle.
Singer Jesy was spotted on This Morning without her ringCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
The singer, 34, who welcomed identical twins Ocean Jade and Story Monroe last year, is no longer wearing her engagement ring — just four months after Zion proposed — sparking speculation that was later confirmed by sources close to the couple.
Despite calling time on their romantic relationship, those close to Jesy insist there is no bitterness, no fallout — only a shared focus on their daughters.
Jesy and Zion got engaged in September last yearCredit: Instagram
A source revealed: “Jesy and Zion remain friends and are completely united as co-parents. Their priority has never changed — it’s all about the girls.”
The split comes after months of unimaginable strain following the twins’ diagnosis with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA) — the most severe form of the rare genetic condition that affects muscle strength, movement, breathing and swallowing.
A source said: ‘She and Zion remain friends and are fully focused on their daughters’Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Doctors have warned the couple that the girls are unlikely to ever walk and may require lifelong medical support.
Jesy and Zion, 26, were told the condition is progressive and, without early treatment, can be life-limiting. If untreated, babies with SMA Type 1 often do not survive beyond early childhood.
Jesy with her former Little Mix bandmates Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne PinnockCredit: Getty
The devastating diagnosis followed an already traumatic pregnancy journey. Jesy’s pregnancy was classed as high-risk after the twins were diagnosed in utero with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) — a rare complication affecting identical twins who share a placenta.
Jesy underwent surgery while pregnant and spent months under close medical supervision before giving birth prematurely in May.
Zion continues to support Jesy as they raise their daughters togetherCredit: Instagram/jesynelson
Concerns about the twins’ health deepened when Jesy’s mother Janice noticed the babies were showing limited leg movement — an early sign of the condition.
Ocean and Story are now under the care of Great Ormond Street Hospital in central London and have received treatment, including a one-off gene-therapy infusion approved by the NHS.
In January 2025 the pair announced they were expecting identical twinsCredit: Noah Sapon
However, specialists have warned that some nerve damage had already occurred before treatment began, making it unlikely the girls will regain full neck strength.
Jesy is working tirelessly to raise awareness of SMA and campaigning for the condition to be added to the NHS newborn heel-prick test, which currently screens for ten other conditionsCredit: Instagram/JesyNelson
Jesy has since thrown herself into campaigning to raise awareness of SMA and is fighting for the condition to be added to the NHS newborn heel-prick screening test — a simple £4 blood test that could prevent up to 33 babies a year from facing lifelong disability.
Appearing solo on ITV’s This Morning, Jesy broke down as she spoke candidly about the reality of her daughters’ future.
Jesy and Zion smile in a post shared online by the singerCredit: instagram/jesynelson
She said: “We’ve been told they will probably never walk. They may never regain their neck strength. They are going to be in wheelchairs.”
But despite the bleak prognosis, Jesy remains fiercely hopeful.
“There are so many stories where parents were told this and their children went on to do incredible things,” she said. “I believe my girls will defy all odds.”
She added: “With the right help, they will fight this and go on to do things that have never been done.”
The emotional toll of parenting children with complex medical needs is widely recognised — and experts say relationship breakdowns are sadly more common among parents of severely disabled children.
Jesy herself has admitted the pressure is relentless.
“I just want to be their mum,” she said previously. “I don’t want to be a nurse.”
Despite no longer being together, Zion continues to support Jesy and the twins. He recently shared a moving poem dedicated to his “two little warrior girls who already know how to fight.”
Those close to the couple say their bond as parents remains strong — even if their romantic chapter has closed.
“The key thing now,” said one source, “is that Ocean and Story have both their mum and dad standing shoulder to shoulder for every battle ahead.”
Jesy’s own journey has been one of resilience. From working as a barmaid in Dagenham to winning The X Factor with Little Mix, she has spoken openly about the toll fame took on her mental health.
She left the band in 2020 after nine years, later releasing solo music and fulfilling her dream of becoming a mother.
Now, Jesy is preparing to share her most personal chapter yet in a six-part documentary, Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, set to air on Prime Video from February 13.
For Jesy and Zion, the future may look very different from what they once imagined — but one thing is certain.
Their daughters come first. Always.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/