Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has taken her new romance with Ben Davies public, sharing an affectionate photograph of the pair after weeks of speculation about her love life.

The 35-year-old singer posted an image on Instagram showing Ben behind the wheel of a Range Rover while the couple held hands. Dressed in black, Ben could be seen with his tattooed arms on display as one hand rested on the steering wheel and the other was intertwined with Jesy’s.

Only Jesy’s arm and hand could be seen in the photograph, but the picture was nevertheless significant: it marked the first time she had clearly shown Ben on her social media since reports emerged that the pair were dating.

The understated post appears to confirm what fans had suspected for several weeks, following a series of clues and public sightings involving the former girl-band star and the Essex-based landscape gardener.

Romance rumours began with a mysterious dinner date

Jesy first raised questions about a potential new relationship at the beginning of August when she shared a photograph from an evening out at a rooftop venue.

Rather than revealing who she was with, the singer’s photograph showed drinks on the table and part of a heavily tattooed male arm. The deliberately limited glimpse quickly prompted speculation among followers about the identity of her mystery companion.

Reports soon identified the man as Ben Davies, a landscape gardener from Essex.

The pair were also linked after being spotted together at London’s Jin Bo Law cocktail bar, with reports suggesting they appeared relaxed and happy in each other’s company. The two had reportedly begun following one another on social media shortly before their relationship became public knowledge.

In the weeks that followed, Jesy and Ben made little effort to hide their growing closeness.

They were photographed together during an outing in London’s West End, walking hand-in-hand around Covent Garden. The couple were also seen sharing a kiss, offering the clearest public indication at the time that their relationship had progressed beyond casual dating.

Jesy’s latest Instagram photograph has now removed much of the remaining uncertainty, effectively making the relationship social-media official.

Who is Ben Davies?

Unlike Jesy, whose career has kept her in the public eye since she won The X Factor with Little Mix in 2011, Ben has largely maintained a life outside showbusiness.

He works as a landscape gardener in Essex and reportedly runs his own landscaping business. He is also a father of one.

However, Ben is not entirely unfamiliar with celebrity circles.

He previously dated Lydia Bright, one of the original stars of ITV reality series The Only Way Is Essex. Their relationship became public in 2024, although Lydia had confirmed that she was single again by January 2025.

His romance with Jesy appears to have developed during the summer of 2026.

A difficult night out

The couple’s emerging relationship has already attracted attention beyond their romantic outings.

Earlier this month, Jesy and Ben were reportedly involved in an incident during a night out at Madison, a rooftop venue near St Paul’s in London.

According to reports about the encounter, security eventually asked members of their group to leave after tensions developed during the evening. Jesy was reportedly seen attempting to calm the situation as the disagreement unfolded.

The incident does not appear to have affected the couple’s relationship. Their latest hand-holding photograph instead presents a far more relaxed picture of the pair spending time together.

New chapter after her split from Zion Foster

Jesy’s romance with Ben follows the end of her relationship with musician Zion Foster, with whom she shares twin daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe.

Jesy and Zion welcomed the girls in May 2025. Their lives changed dramatically after both children were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA1), a rare inherited condition that causes severe muscle weakness and can affect movement, swallowing and breathing.

Jesy and Zion’s romantic relationship later ended, although they have continued to share responsibility for their daughters.

The former couple’s experience has played a significant role in Jesy’s life over the past year, with the singer becoming an increasingly prominent campaigner for greater awareness of SMA and earlier diagnosis.

She has also spoken publicly about the physical and emotional demands of caring for Ocean and Story while they undergo treatment.

Earlier this month, Jesy celebrated another important milestone when her daughters underwent procedures allowing their nasogastric feeding tubes to be removed.

She shared photographs of the girls following the procedures and described the moment as feeling like a dream after becoming accustomed to seeing the feeding tubes and adhesive dressings on their faces.

Jesy’s campaigning brings major progress

Jesy’s experience with her daughters also led her to campaign for babies to be tested for SMA shortly after birth.

That campaign has coincided with a major change in England’s newborn screening plans.

The Department of Health and Social Care announced in July that screening for SMA would be expanded across England as part of an evaluation programme, with laboratories due to begin testing babies from October 2026 and implementation expanding further during 2027.

Early diagnosis can be particularly important with SMA because identifying the condition before serious symptoms develop can allow treatment to begin much sooner.

Government officials specifically acknowledged Jesy’s campaigning when announcing the expansion. Nelson described the development as a hopeful moment for families affected by SMA and said she was proud to have played a part in supporting the campaign.

Her personal story reaches television audiences

Jesy has also documented the dramatic changes in her life in her Prime Video documentary series Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix.

The programme explores her experiences following Little Mix, her journey into motherhood and the enormous impact her daughters’ diagnosis had on her family.

In August, the deeply personal project was shortlisted for a National Television Award in the Authored Documentary category.

Jesy said she was extremely proud of the programme and emphasised how personal the project had been for both herself and her daughters.

The nomination adds another chapter to a television journey that previously saw her documentary Odd One Out, which explored body image, bullying and the impact of online abuse, win an NTA in 2020.

Moving forward

Against that backdrop, Jesy’s budding relationship with Ben represents a more personal and light-hearted development after an exceptionally demanding period.

What began with a carefully cropped photograph of a tattooed arm has developed into public dates, affectionate appearances in London and now an unmistakably romantic social media post.

Neither Jesy nor Ben has shared extensive details about their relationship publicly, and the singer appears to be revealing the romance gradually rather than making a formal announcement.

But with Ben’s face now appearing on her Instagram as the pair hold hands during a drive, Jesy has given followers her clearest indication yet that she has embarked on a new chapter in her personal life.