Jesy Nelson EXC: Star says marriage and children are on the cards with beau Chris Hughes

She recently marked her one-year anniversary with Love Island star Chris Hughes, who previously revealed he hopes to get married and start a family within ‘the next year and a half’.

And Jesy Nelson has enthused she’s ‘definitely’ open to the idea of taking things with her boyfriend to the next level, but admitted their plans will most likely take place in the future as she’s still ‘a kid myself!’

In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, the Little Mix singer, 28, also said her new single Break Up Song with bandmates Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall – released on Friday –  was influenced by her own past splits and shared her top tips on how to get over an ex.

The couple’s romance first hit headlines when they were pictured kissing during a kebab shop date in early 2019.

Since then, the Wings hitmaker and media personality Chris, 27, have gone from strength to strength, with the pair enjoying romantic holidays together and supporting each other while occupied by their busy careers. 

The singer and the former Bourton Rovers footballer are currently apart as they follow UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s self-isolation order amid the coronavirus pandemic, but Jesy insists distance poses no threat for the duo as their schedules often see them on opposite sides of the globe.

On how they keep in contact, the belter told us: ‘Now it’s just strictly FaceTime. We just FaceTime, WhatsApp, all that jazz. I’m used to [being away from Chris] as we’re apart when I’m on tour, I’m always travelling.’ 

When asked about the prospect of having children, Jesy confessed: ‘Yeah in the future, one day. I’m a kid myself right now so I’m not even thinking about having a kid right now. 

‘I definitely want to get married, that’s for sure. When that will be, I don’t know.’

With two Brit Awards, four MTV Europe Music prizes and a Silver Clef accolade under their belt, there’s no stopping the world’s biggest girl band, who recently released an upbeat track called Break Up Song.

On her own experience with heartbreak, the Romford native said she would struggle to overcome the breakdown of her past relationships, but would take an uncharacteristic approach to dealing with the pain. 

She said: ‘For me personally, I can’t just get over it. I have to have my time to cry and be with my friends. I will always write down the things that were awful about them – that really helps me! [laughs]’ 

At the beginning of her career, Jesy dated Diversity star Jordan Banjo from mid 2012 until March 2013. 

Her longest relationship was with Rixton frontman Jake Roche – the son of Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan – for two years between 2014 and 2016, with the couple even getting engaged in July 2015.  

Jesy was also in a romance with musician Harry James for 16 months until 2018, after she briefly dated ex-TOWIE star Chris Clark, who cruelly dumped her via text message.  

‘I feel there’s like stages of a break-up’, she said. ‘First you’re really upset and want to be alone and cry. 

‘The second stage is when your friends come round and lift your spirits up, encourage you and take you out to the club. 

‘Stage three is going out again and looking good, your ex realises [what he’s missing] and tries to come back to you! I feel it’s so natural to go through those stages.’