Jade Thirlwall says Little Mix ‘suffered’ mental health pressures of fame

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

The former X Factor contender has spoken at the British LGBT Awards where Little Mix were honoured for their work advancing the rights of the community.

Thirlwall told The Sun that band members were only teenagers when they achieved stardom and were thrust into the music industry.

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

Thirlwall said: “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.”