Fresh blow for Jade Thirlwall amid year from hell as Little Mix star’s £1.5m business nightmare revealed

JUST when Jade Thirlwall looked to be entering the most exciting chapter of her career, things behind the scenes have been rather less harmonious. The Little Mix star has spent the past year rebuilding her life and career away from the band – but her fortunes have taken a dramatic turn. Jade Thirlwall, 33, owns the bar Arbeia – first opened in late 2019 as Red Door – in her native South Shields Credit: NNP Fresh accounts show the singer’s bar has been left with debts of almost £1 million Credit: Splash We can reveal Jade has effectively lost more than £1.5million of her own money propping up her businesses. Fresh accounts show the singer’s cocktail bar in South Shields has been left with debts of almost £1 million. Jade, 33, owns the bar Arbeia – first opened in late 2019 as Red Door – in her native South Shields, run through her company Chain Reaction Entertainment. The latest figures show the business lost £108,000 in the last financial year alone – the equivalent of more than £2,000 a week – with the £975,234 owed representing funds Jade has ploughed into the company that have not been paid back to her. The company has assets of more than £155,000, but those were swamped by the sums owed, leaving it heavily in the red. And it’s not just the cocktail bar which has hit a bum note. Jade also has a nightclub next door – Industry – with Upside Down Entertainment, the company behind it, owing £589,059. That means the two venues combined are carrying a debt nightmare of over £1.5 million. Paperwork shows Jade, the sole director, has had to rely on assurances from shareholders to keep the company going. Documents state: “The director has obtained assurances from shareholders to continue to provide adequate funds to meet its obligations, and not to demand repayment of any funds due to them, until the company is in a financial position to do so.” In other words, Jade essentially loaned her own businesses well over £1.5million and, so far, hasn’t seen it come back. It’s a difficult period for Jade away from the stage – particularly given she’s spent the last few years proving she can make it without the girl group that made her a household name. There is, however, some better news. Her music company has assets of £1.4 million, reflecting the success of her solo career since Little Mix’s hiatus. Jade launched her solo career in 2024 with debut single Angel Of My Dreams, before releasing her album That’s Showbiz Baby! the following year. And while her business empire has been struggling, she’s continued to throw herself into music – most recently taking to the stage at Reading and Leeds Festival last weekend. But the past 12 months have been far from straightforward for the Black Magic singer. Earlier this year, The Sun revealed Jade had secretly split from Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens after six years together. The pair began dating in 2020 after Jade admitted she’d “slid into his DMs” when a friend suggested they’d be a good match. Their romance began during lockdown, with socially distanced walks and video call dates before they moved in together, splitting their time between London and Margate. But eagle-eyed fans began to suspect something was wrong when they failed to post about their sixth anniversary – despite sharing updates in previous years. They hadn’t been photographed together for months, with their last red carpet appearance coming at February’s Brit Awards. Neither posted about the other on Instagram after mid-March, while Jordan wiped the TikTok videos they’d made together from his profile. A source told The Sun: “Jade and Jordan had a very serious and loving relationship but recently they have had some frank discussions about their future and have decided to separate. “It’s not been an easy time but they’ve both been throwing themselves into work.” Jordan broke his silence on the split at the end of July, describing it as “very tough” on his Miss Me podcast with pal Miquita Oliver. He said: “Honestly, I’ve still not processed it. I will say that I think, overall, people have… people are kind.” He then appeared to hint that more details could emerge in time, adding: “I’m a very transparent person and things will come out, like, when necessary. And I don’t mean to be too cryptic; it really isn’t that deep. I mean, it IS deep for me.” The former Little Mix star has had a turbulent year in her personal life Credit: Getty The Sun revealed Jade had secretly split from Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens after six years together Credit: Getty While her long-term romance was ending privately, Jade was also facing fresh questions over one of the most painful periods of her Little Mix career. Jesy Nelson‘s bombshell documentary in February reignited the fallout surrounding her departure from the band, with the singer, 34, revealing she’d secretly attempted suicide days before quitting the group. Her comments suggested her cry for help had been ignored by Jade, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards – bringing old tensions straight back into the spotlight. The revelation came just as Jesy had appeared to give fans hope the six-year feud could finally be coming to an end, after revealing the women had privately reached out. A source told The Sun: “Jesy’s confession has obviously opened up a can of worms for the girls. “It’s been upsetting for the girls, but they are focused on their solo careers and the future now.” For Jade, the subject appeared to become particularly emotional during her US tour. She broke down in tears while performing Natural At Disaster – a song understood to have been inspired by her difficult friendship with Jesy. Its lyrics include: “It’s hard to love you when you hate yourself. Can’t be there for you without negatively impacting my mental health.” Eagle-eyed fans believed Jade was making a pointed statement when she played the track over backstage footage from her Chicago show – posted just after Jesy’s documentary dropped. She captioned it: “And all that jazz.” One fan replied: “The song choice… I hope you’re not shading Jesy. I love you all.” Jesy Nelson’s explosive claims in her documentary reignited the tensions with her former bandmates Credit: Getty Despite business woes, Jade has continued to thrive with her solo music career, performing at major festivals this year Credit: Getty For a group that spent more than a decade at the top of the charts, it’s a reminder of just how far the four women have travelled since Little Mix’s 2022 hiatus. Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne have all pursued solo careers – but the latest developments make a full reunion increasingly hard to imagine. Despite the turmoil, there are signs Jade’s gamble is paying off. Her music company now holds assets of £1.4 million, and she’s continued to land major performances, including Reading Festival last weekend. Meanwhile, the cocktail bar and nightclub she’s invested in back home are together carrying a huge debt burden. The contrast could hardly be greater. For someone who spent years sharing the stage with three other women, the past year has forced Jade to find out what life looks like when she’s completely on her own. And while not every part of that new chapter has gone to plan, her music career suggests she may still have plenty to sing about. Jade’s representatives have been contacted for comment.