South Shields Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall said band 'suffered' mental health pressures of fame

South Shields Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall has spoken about the band's early struggles with mental health after being thrust into the limelight.
Jade ThirlwallJade Thirlwall
Jade Thirlwall

The 26-year-old singer said the band members were only teenagers when they achieved stardom and were thrust into the music industry.

She said they had to negotiate the challenges of fame, which for young women involves debate over their bodies, from a young age.

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Jade told The Sun: "Maybe there could have been a bit more in place for mental health, we all have suffered in some way.

"As four young women getting thrust into the industry, having everyone talking about how you look, just the pressure suddenly being in this industry was a lot for all of us.

"We had to find our own way of dealing with that."

Speaking about how the band coped with the demands of fame, Thirlwall said: "We've got each other."

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It comes just weeks after her band mate Perrie Edwards, also from South Shields, opened up about suffering anxiety and panic attacks - reaching out to let others know they were not alone.