Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Jesy Nelson has reportedly withdrawn from I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! to care for her twin daughters, apparently abandoning plans to enter the Australian jungle and use the ITV programme to raise awareness of the rare genetic condition affecting both girls.
The former Little Mix singer, 35, had been in discussions to join the forthcoming series of the reality show, which is due to begin filming in Australia next month.
However, her 17-month-old daughters, Ocean and Story, who were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), have been unwell, apparently prompting Jesy to withdraw from the programme.
The girls were born in May 2025 and are her children with her former partner, musician Zion Foster.
A source told The Sun: “Jesy was so excited about joining I’m A Celebrity, mainly because it was giving her a platform to continue her campaigning for SMA.”
The insider continued: “She has already helped change Government policy over testing newborns for the condition.
“I’m A Celeb was going to be where she could spread her message even further, and show a side to her the public may not have seen before.”
Jesy had reportedly spent several weeks negotiating her appearance on the programme before informing ITV executives last month that she would be unable to take part.
The Sun’s source added: “It’s with a very heavy heart she has pulled out.
“Ocean and Story are unwell and there is no way Jesy would leave them. Her family are her priority.
“ITV have been amazing and are supporting her all the way. The door will always be left open for Jesy.”
A separate source connected to the programme said: “Producers were gutted that Jesy couldn’t be part of this year’s series.”
The singer is said to have hoped appearing on one of Britain’s most-watched reality programmes would provide a further opportunity to discuss the importance of early screening for SMA.
The condition affects the nerve cells responsible for controlling muscle movement and can lead to progressive muscle weakness, difficulties with breathing and swallowing, and serious complications in its most severe forms.
Approximately 60 to 70 babies are born with SMA in England each year, according to figures cited in the report.
Jesy has spoken publicly about the impact of her daughters’ diagnosis in her documentary Life Changing, revealing doctors had warned the girls would “probably never walk”.
Following their diagnosis, the singer became an outspoken campaigner for the introduction of routine newborn screening for SMA, arguing that earlier detection could help families access treatment before irreversible muscle damage occurs.
She launched a petition calling for changes to the screening programme, which attracted 150,000 signatures and helped put pressure on the Government to accelerate a pilot scheme.
The programme is designed to screen more than 400,000 newborn babies using blood collected through the routine heel-prick test, with the aim of assessing whether SMA screening can be introduced nationwide.
Before becoming a campaigner, Jesy rose to fame as a member of Little Mix alongside Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall.
The group won The X Factor in 2011 and went on to achieve chart success with singles including Wings, Black Magic, Shout Out to My Ex and Sweet Melody.
Jesy left the group in December 2020, subsequently launching a solo career with the single Boyz, featuring Nicki Minaj, in 2021.
She also addressed the impact of online abuse and body-image pressures in her award-winning BBC documentary Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out in 2019.
Her more recent documentary Life Changing has focused on her experience of motherhood, her daughters’ medical needs and the challenges facing families affected by SMA.
ITV has not publicly announced Jesy as a contestant for the forthcoming series, and the broadcaster has yet to confirm the full celebrity line-up.
