Released on, Aug. 21 — August 21, 2025 8:01 AM
Perrie Edwards has spoken about her previous relationship with Zayn Malik, sharing that she once thought “toxic” actions were a typical part of love until she discovered healing, stability, and genuine connection with her fiancé Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Appearing on a podcast, the Little Mix member discussed how her early relationship with Malik influenced her view of love and relationships. “I think at the time I believed everything we went through was normal,” she mentioned. “Since it was my first relationship, my first love, I thought, ‘Oh, it’s supposed to feel a bit toxic in some ways.'” Edwards and Malik started dating after their time on The X Factor, becoming engaged in 2013 before breaking up in 2015. The split made headlines, with reports that Malik ended things through a text message and rumors of infidelity circulating. “We were engaged, so obviously we had feelings for each other,” Edwards said. “But I was very young. I knew that wasn’t how love should feel. I didn’t have any other reference.” This experience made her hesitant about love. “I didn’t even want to meet anyone,” she admitted.