Perrie Edwards has revealed how her romance with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain began.
The Little Mix star and England footballer Alex were first linked in late 2016 and confirmed their relationship the following year.
The couple welcomed their first child, Axel, in August 2021 and announced their engagement in June 2022.
In a new interview with BBC Radio 2, Perrie revealed that her former Little Mix bandmate Jesy Nelson encouraged her to reach out to Alex after seeing him on British TV show Gogglebox.
“I feel like Alex and I were meant to be together,” the singer said. “Our paths crossed so many times, randomly, that it was like we were destined to meet.”
Perrie continued, “I saw him on Gogglebox, and I was watching it like ‘Oh my God, I really fancy him, he’s well funny’ and then Jesy was like ‘Message him: When are you taking me for a drink?'”
The hitmaker admitted she thought the gesture was too “bold”, prompting Jesy to ask her, “Well what have you got to lose?”
“I messaged him and I was like ‘Oh, d’you know what? What have I got to lose? Who cares? If he pies me off, he pies me off,'” Perrie continued. “I messaged him saying ‘Oh we were just watching Gogglebox and you popped up like it was a really cool episode. How are you? Do you want to take me for a drink?'”
The You Go Your Way hitmaker described the experience as “mortifying” but confirmed it was the “best thing she ever did”.
Earlier this year, Perrie revealed she and Jesy – who left Little Mix in 2020 – are no longer friends.
“We don’t talk, and haven’t done for a long time…,” she told Cosmopolitan in July. “It’s really sad, it’s heartbreaking.”
The remaining members of the pop group, Perrie, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, announced a hiatus in December 2021.
