Quick Answer: Jade Thirlwall’s boyfriend was Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens, who she dated from 2020 until the pair split earlier in 2026 — a split Jordan has since spoken about publicly. Before him, she was with Bastille’s Jed Elliot.
Over the last ten years or so, Jade Thirlwall has been wowing the audience with her career both in the band Little Mix and as a solo singer by the name of JADE. While her career earns her plenty of media attention, so does her private life, as her dating status is often a hot topic of conversation when her name comes up. Jade Thirlwall was in a relationship with her boyfriend for about six years, but apparently, they are no longer together. Here’s what is known about her breakup.
Jade Thirlwall: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jade Amelia Thirlwall |
| Known for | Little Mix (2011–2022), solo artist as JADE |
| Hometown | South Shields, England |
| Current relationship status | Single, after splitting from Jordan Stephens in early 2026 |
| Most recent public relationship | Jordan Stephens (Rizzle Kicks), 2020–2026 |
- Jade and Jordan started dating in 2020, right in the middle of the first lockdown.
- They went Instagram official a few months in, after a run of Zoom dates.
- News of a split broke in July 2026, and Jordan confirmed it himself on his podcast the following month.
- Before Jordan, Jade spent three years with Bastille bassist Jed Elliot, splitting in 2019.
- She’s also talked, with a fair bit of humour, about a one-off date with Harry Styles that went absolutely nowhere.
Jade Thirlwall Dating History
| Partner | Relationship Period | How It Ended | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jed Elliot (Bastille) | Around 2016–2019 | Split after three years | Jade’s own interviews |
| Harry Styles | One date, mid-2010s | Went no further | Jade’s own interviews |
| Jordan Stephens (Rizzle Kicks) | 2020–early 2026 | Confirmed by Jordan in August 2026 | Female First, Miss Me? podcast |
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How Jade and Jordan Got Together
It’s a slightly odd meet-cute, all things considered. A mutual friend had put them in touch during the early days of the pandemic, and since actual dates weren’t really an option, they started with video calls instead. By Jade’s own account, they didn’t take these calls too seriously, or rather, they took them a bit too seriously, dressing up in suits as a joke and interviewing each other like it was a business meeting. Once lockdown eased up, that turned into proper (if socially distanced) walks, including one in Greenwich Park that Jade’s mentioned a few times since.
She’s said Jordan’s comfort with femininity and queerness was a big part of the draw — she’d seen him play a drag queen in a 2019 film and, by her own admission, was sold pretty quickly after that. Not long after, they made things Instagram official, and from there they were regularly photographed together at events.
Worth noting from this early stage:
- They met through a friend, not through the industry.
- The whole start of their relationship was during the lockdown, dressed-up Zoom calls and all.
- Jade has repeatedly pointed to Jordan’s drag role as an early reason she liked him.
Six Years Together Before Their Split
It was not a fling either. It was reported that Jordan was present when Jade was awarded the Freedom of South Tyneside in December 2025, and both marked the start of 2026 together with a trip to Sri Lanka, about which Jade later posted. Six years is an incredibly long period of time for anyone in any relationship, but especially in one made in public.
There’s also a fairly well-known story attached to the relationship: Jade’s talked about Jordan confronting Noel Gallagher at Glastonbury over some dismissive comments he’d made about Little Mix years earlier. She’s told the story since, half-embarrassed and clearly a bit pleased about it too.
| Milestone | When | What Happened |
|---|---|---|
| First meeting | 2020 | Introduced through a mutual friend during lockdown |
| Instagram official | 2020 | Relationship confirmed publicly |
| Freedom of South Tyneside | December 2025 | Jordan attended alongside Jade |
| New Year in Sri Lanka | January 2026 | Trip shared by Jade on social media |
| Split addressed publicly | August 2026 | Jordan spoke about it on his podcast |
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The 2026 Split (The Breakup)
Reports that Jade and Jordan had ended their relationship in July 2026, via Female First and LADbible among others, with word that the pair had quietly ended things earlier in the year. The framing at the time was fairly gentle, friends hoping that they had patched things up, both to be handling it maturely. Around the same time, fans noticed both of them had deleted each other’s photos from Instagram (Jordan first, apparently), and neither posted anything for what would’ve been their sixth anniversary that June.
Then in August, Jordan actually addressed it on Miss Me?, the podcast he does with Miquita Oliver. He hadn’t got into much detail, calling the whole thing much more complex and difficult and admitting he wasn’t really prepared for how public a break-up like this feels. He was fairly clear that he’d rather protect the people involved than get into specifics right away, but he didn’t deny anything either, which, in a roundabout way, was the closest thing to confirmation either of them has given. Since then, Jordan’s posted about a solo trip, and Jade’s been getting on with rehearsals for some upcoming shows.
Who Was Her Boyfriend Before Jordan
Jordan wasn’t Jade’s first serious relationship. Before him there was Jed Elliot, bassist in Bastille, and that lasted around three years before ending in 2019 — not long before she met Jordan, as it happens. She’s also brought up a single date with Harry Styles a few times over the years, always as a bit of a laugh rather than anything serious. By her own telling, it just didn’t go anywhere after that first meeting.
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Conclusion
For most of the last six years, the Jade Thirlwall boyfriend story has really been about her relationship with Jordan Stephens — one that started over Zoom during lockdown and ended, quietly at first, sometime in early 2026. Jordan’s since spoken about it himself, even if he’s holding back on the details for now. Before him, there was Jed Elliot and, further back, a single date with Harry Styles that never turned into anything. Throughout all of it, Jade’s stayed fairly open about her personal life, whether that’s been in Little Mix interviews or on her own as a solo artist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the boyfriend of Jade Thirlwall?
The long-term boyfriend of Jade Thirlwall was Jordan Stephens of the Rizzle Kicks, but they broke up at the beginning of 2026.
When did Jade Thirlwall date Jordan Stephens?
Their relationship began in 2020, which was the early days of the coronavirus.
Has Jade Thirlwall officially ended things with Jordan Stephens?
In a way, Jordan talked about their split on his Miss Me? podcast in August 2026.
Who was Jade Thirlwall’s boyfriend before Jordan Stephens?
Bass player of Bastille, Jed Elliot, for about three years, up until 2019.
Has Jade Thirlwall dated Harry Styles?
Only one date, that didn’t result in anything more by her own admission.
Is Jade Thirlwall single as of August 2026?
As far as public reporting and Jordan’s own comments suggest, yes.
Has Jade Thirlwall dated anyone else since the breakup?
Not that’s been reported. As of August 2026, there’s no sign of Jade seeing anyone new, no sightings, no social media hints, nothing official. Worth updating this if that changes.
Source and Reference:
- Ladbible: Jade Thirlwall Little Mix celebrity relationship
- Metro: Jade Thirlwall splits popstar boyfriend 6 years
- Femalefirst: Jade Thirlwall splits boyfriend six years
- Whosdatedwho: Jade Thirlwall dating history
