Perrie Edwards claims ‘overlap’ during final stage of Zayn Malik relationship

Perrie Edwards has spoken candidly about the emotional toll of her breakup with former fiancé Zayn Malik, describing the aftermath as “hellish” and revealing she suffered “serious breakdowns” during one of the most difficult periods of her life.

The Little Mix singer, 32, reflected on the end of her high-profile relationship with the former One Direction star, 33, during an appearance on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast. The pair first began dating in 2011 after meeting on The X Factor, later becoming engaged in 2013 before separating in 2015.

Edwards said the breakup left her feeling overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted, both privately and under intense public scrutiny.

“When you go through heartbreak, it is hellish. It's the worst thing in the world,” she said. “You can't eat. You can't sleep. You feel horrendous.”

She added that the public reaction made the experience even more painful, saying she felt “abandoned,” “embarrassed,” and “ridiculed” while dealing with constant attention at the height of her career with Little Mix.

“Not my fans—my fans were like, ‘We love you, we’ll fight your corner no matter what,’” she said. “But I felt like the world was looking at me laughing at me.”

Edwards also said the pressure affected her mental health during that period, revealing she experienced breakdowns while continuing to perform with her group.

“I didn't. I had like serious breakdowns,” she said. “I was breaking down in performances, crying constantly. I think I was depressed.”

She described the challenge of balancing personal heartbreak with professional responsibility, noting that she felt compelled to continue working despite struggling privately.

In the same interview, Edwards suggested there was an “overlap” toward the end of her relationship with Malik, adding that it was especially difficult being “the one left behind.”

“There was a bit of an overlap,” she said. “And I think when you're the one left behind, that's when it's hard.”

She also referenced the emotional impact of Malik’s later public work, including the release of his debut solo single Pillowtalk and its music video, which featured model Gigi Hadid, who he later dated.

“It felt like the nail in the coffin,” she said, recalling how the situation intensified her grief and sense of loss.

Edwards, who now shares two children with fiancé Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, said she eventually felt overwhelmed by the constant public attention surrounding the breakup.

“I just wanted to be left alone,” she said. “But it was everywhere. It was a lot.”