When Jesy Nelson and Chris Hughes dated and why they split
21 January 2021, 10:14 | Updated: 8 April 2025, 12:22
Jesy Nelson and Chris Hughes had a whirlwind relationship – here's everything you need to know about their dating timeline, from when they started dating to why they split.
Jesy Nelson, known for being a former member of Little Mix, and Love Island 2017 contestant Chris Hughes ignited rumours they were dating in January 2019 and they confirmed they were in a relationship a month later.
Their romance was filled with hilarious date nights, romantic trips to Italy, and there were even rumours they had secretly married at one point.
Fast forward a number of years and Jesy is in a new relationship with boyfriend Zion Foster and pregnant with twins, worlds away from her relationship with the reality star. Chris has stayed supportive of ex Jesy though, even commenting on her pregnancy announcement: "Go on girl," alongside a white heart and a baby emoji.
When they hit their one-year anniversary milestone, Jesy admitted she'd 'never been more in love'. But where did it all go wrong? Why did Jesy and Chris split? Here’s everything you need to know about their relationship...
Why did Jesy Nelson and Chris Hughes split?
In April 2020 it was reported Jesy and Chris had split up at the end of March but had vowed to remain good friends.
A source said: "They had a chat on the phone about their relationship and both agreed that it felt like it had run its course - they're both absolutely fine."
It wasn't until a few weeks later that Chris opened up about it, telling Vicky Pattison on her podcast how he got through the heartbreak by having the support of close friends around him.
Where did Jesy Nelson and Chris Hughes meet?
Jesy and Chris began dating two months after her split from ex-boyfriend Harry James, in November 2018, and they had their first date at The Cauldron in East London.
The pair took part in a cocktail making class, making sure to avoid including each other in their Instagram Stories – but eagle-eyed fans were quick to put two and two together.
After their date they were papped touching tongues in a kebab shop!
When did Jesy Nelson and Chris Hughes start dating?
During a romantic break to Dublin at the start of 2019, the couple finally included one another on their respective social media accounts.
As they waited for their flight they larked around on Instagram Stories, with Chris filming himself kissing his new girlfriend on the cheek and Jesy beaming at the camera.
And hours later when they went their separate ways after their mini-break, they were seen smooching in the airport car park.
Chris Hughes tells Jesy Nelson that he want to have babies with her
Were Jesy Nelson and Chris Hughes engaged?
Jesy and Chris were never engaged, but Chris had talked about marrying the pop star. During an episode of MTV’s Geordie OGs, Chris appeared alongside Gaz Beadle for a game of golf where the dad of two quizzed him on his relationship with Jesy.
Chris told his pal: "She’s lovely Gaz. She’s just normal." He then revealed he wants to be married in the next two months.
And when asked on their plans to have kids the Love Island star told him: “I reckon in about a year and a half.”
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