Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock opens up about receiving “nasty” racist abuse

Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock has opened up about being on the receiving end of “nasty” racist abuse.

The singer rose to fame on The X Factor in 2011 as part of winners Little Mix.

This week she spoke about having to deal with shocking racist trolling as well as being the victim of body shaming.

Leigh-Anne told ITV’s Lorraine: “It’s horrible. Especially having to deal with it in the public eye, it is nasty.

“But I swear, just surrounding yourself with positive people, people who are uplifting, and not looking at it…. It is just irrelevant and it shouldn’t even be happening. It is so nasty.”

Leigh-Anne candidly spoke about struggling at times but said she was now in “better place”.

She explained: “I am so proud of who I am. But it takes a while. Even now, I am not 100 percent. I don’t think anyone ever really is.

“It’s a journey to get to that self-love place and really love yourself. It is a hard journey but you will get there.”

Leigh-Anne praised her fellow Little Mix bandmates Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall for their support.

“I mean, I am just lucky to have the girls. To have the unit. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have that to be honest,” she added. “It’s been a long journey but I’m in a great place.”

Leigh-Anne was on the show to discuss launching her new self-love bikini line In’A’Seashell, which she hopes will inspire confidence and empower people.

Meanwhile, Jade has admitted she and the other girls have “all suffered in some way” after almost a decade in the public.

Recalling winning The X Factor eight years ago, she told The Sun: “We were only 18 or 19 when we got thrown into the industry and it is a lot to handle.

“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 of suddenly being here was a lot for all of us.”

Little Mix released their new album LM5 last year. They will head out on a 2019 UK tour from October.