Little Mix had a “friendly, educational” chat with Jesy Nelson about blackfishing.

The ‘Boyz’ singer was reportedly criticised in text messages by her former bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock for appropriating black culture and darkening her skin with fake tan and changing her hair in the ‘Boyz’ video, and now the group have confirmed they had spoken to her about the difficulties in the way she presented herself, but insisted it happened before she quit last year.

Jade Thirlwall told Stella magazine: “We don’t want to talk about the video, or be critical, but one thing we will clarify regarding the blackfishing situation is that Jesy was approached by the group in a very friendly, educational manner.”

And Leigh-Anne – who is also joined in the band by Perrie Edwards – insisted blackfishing is “absolutely not OK”.

She said: “Capitalising on aspects of blackness without having to endure the daily realities of the black experience is problematic and harmful to people of colour.

“We think it’s absolutely not OK to use harmful stereotypes. There’s so much to say on that subject that it’s hard to sum up in a sound bite.”

But the ‘Sweet Melody’ hitmakers don’t want to dwell on their feud with Jesy.

Jade said: “We don’t really want to dwell, because we have so much to celebrate as a three.

“We’ve dealt with it in the best way that we know how, and got each other through it.

Their comments came after Jesy recently admitted she isn’t in contact with her former bandmates any more, but is hopeful they can put their differences behind them in the future.

She said: “We’re not talking any more. It is sad but honestly there is no bad blood from my side, and I still love them to pieces and genuinely wish them all the best.

“I loved my time with them, and we’ve got the most incredible memories together but It’s just one of those things which needs to take time, so who knows.

“To me they are still the ‘sickest’ girl band in the world.”