Perrie Edwards, the former Little Mix star, has recently opened up about her past relationship with Zayn Malik, describing it as "a little bit toxic" and revealing how it impacted her subsequent romance with her fiancé, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The pair, who began dating shortly after Little Mix won The X Factor in 2011, quickly became engaged in 2013, with Zayn even getting a tattoo of Perrie on his arm. However, their engagement ended in July 2015.
Edwards has previously disclosed that Malik ended their four-year relationship via text message, a claim Malik has denied. In a leaked excerpt from Little Mix's book Our World, Edwards described the breakup as "horrible, the worst time in my life". She revealed that a "four-year relationship, two-year engagement ended by a simple text message. Just like that". Despite her career progressing well, she found the situation incredibly difficult.
In an interview with Nylon magazine in May 2024, Malik reflected on the relationship, admitting he was "clueless" during their time together. "I didn't know anything about anything at that point," he said, adding, "I thought I did because I was 21. I was legally allowed to do everything, but I didn't know s***".
Edwards has now spoken more candidly about the "toxic" aspects of their relationship and how it affected her future approach to love. Speaking on the We Need To Talk podcast with Paul C Brunson, Edwards reflected on her relationship with Malik and the lessons she learned from her "first love". "We were engaged to be married, but when I look back now, it was a little bit toxic," she confessed.
Edwards elaborated that, because it was her first serious relationship, she initially thought the "toxic" elements were normal. "I think it definitely at the time, I thought everything we experienced in our relationship was normal," Edwards reflected. "Because it was my first relationship, first love. I was like, oh, this is how it's supposed to feel. It's supposed to feel a little bit toxic in some ways. This is probably normal".
The constant media attention and the pressures of fame also played a significant role in their breakup. Rumors of Zayn's infidelity further strained their relationship. Edwards' bandmates provided immense support during this difficult period. "The girls were amazing, we'd have sleepovers and they'd get my favourite desserts and do everything they could to cheer me up," she recalled.
Following the split, Edwards found it challenging to enter new relationships. "And then when I become single, I was almost thinking like I never, ever want to go through that again. I didn't even want to meet anybody," she admitted. She also recounted how her family reacted when she started dating Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. "You've just dated a boy band member who's completely shattered your soul. And now you're going for a footballer," she recalled them saying.
Despite the difficult experiences, Edwards has found happiness with Oxlade-Chamberlain, with whom she shares a three-year-old son, Axel. She describes their relationship as "safe and supportive". Looking back, Edwards acknowledges the impact of her relationship with Malik on her understanding of love and relationships.
