How Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock found her soulmate in footballer Andre Gray – and brought out his romantic side
FOR the last 10 years Little Mix has dominated the stage as one of the biggest girl groups since the Spice Girls.
But it's been a whirlwind for the foursome since group member Jesy Nelson announced she was leaving the group in December 2020 and recently became embroiled in a "blackfishing" row with former bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
But despite the drama that's unfolding, Leigh-Anne Pinnock has had great support in the form of her soulmate and husband-to-be Andre Gray, whose love story will no doubt stand the test of time.
Picture perfect couple and brand new parents Leigh-Anne and Andre welcomed twins in August this year - just days before her bandmate Perrie Edwards gave birth to her first child with her footballer boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The loved up couple announced the surprise birth with a black and white photo of their babies’ feet, and Little Mix star Leigh-Anne wrote: “We asked for a miracle, we were given two... Our Cubbies are here.”
The couple, both 30, had always dreamed of becoming parents, and now their fairy tale had entered a new chapter - in a story that had begun in May 2016.
SWEET BEGINNINGS
Leigh-Anne had just come out of an on-off three-year relationship with footballer Jordan Kiffin when she met Watford striker Andre, a ‘low-key’ romantic and thoughtful soul.
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The couple happily navigated their way through relationship milestones, from first holidays as a couple, to meeting each others’ families and moving in together.
Plus, he even had a starring role in the video for Little Mix’s Think About Us video.
In the beginning, Leigh-Anne would admit he just needed a bit of encouragement to bring out his romantic side.
In the early stages of their relationship in 2017, she captioned a cute close-up shot of them cuddling on social media with: “He hates cheesy captions but I’m a cheeseball… and so is he, low key. But I f***ing love this boy, my actual world."
HER ROCK
“When you know you know, and they both did pretty quickly,” says a source. “Even though on his Instagram he doesn’t post many pictures of Leigh-Anne as it’s mainly football-related, Andre’s been absolutely smitten with her since the very beginning.
“He’s Leigh-Anne’s rock and her soul mate, and as far as he’s concerned, that feeling is completely reciprocated - that adoration is mutual. They’re such a perfect match.”
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Less than two months after Leigh-Anne and Andre became Instagram official in January 2017 when she posted an adorable picture of the pair hugging with the caption, “Gonna miss this one”, he was by her side once more.
Little Mix had gone on tour in North America in February 2017 to support Ariana Grande, and Andre had jetted out to surprise her.
“I was so down, being away from home for so long and all I wanted was one of his cuddles,” she explained. “This surprise was more than I could have ever asked for.. completely in shock and overwhelmed to finally see him again after so long. I absolutely adore this boy with everything I have in me... I’ll never be able to put it into words.”
ROMANTIC GESTURES
And he absolutely adores her too - something that was evident in his spectacular marriage proposal in May 2020, on their four year anniversary.
“He’s a real romantic, and pulled out all the stops for his fiance,” adds the source. “He planned the whole night down to a tee - even in lockdown, he managed to arrange a fairy-lit outdoor cinema, bespoke clips of the best bits of their relationship and a video of him asking her to marry him. Leigh-Anne was speechless.
“Andre had been itching to pop the question earlier that year, but the restrictions and uncertainty due to the pandemic meant it had to be postponed, but it was more than worth it in the end as it was an incredible and joyful evening.”
Over the course of their relationship, the heart-melting affirmations have flowed freely.
Leigh-Anne describes him as “the missing piece to my puzzle”, and she’s openly acknowledged when things haven’t been great.
GUSHY POSTS
On an Instagram post to celebrate Andre’s 27th birthday, she wrote, “It’s been 2 years and I still look at you with the same love and awe if not more.. we’ve had the most amount of ups, and a couple downs.. all that I believe has made us stronger.. you are honestly the best thing to ever happen to me, I love you so bloody much and I cannot wait for our next chapter and to spend the rest of my life with you!”
This year, on Andre’s birthday in June, before the twins arrived, she wrote: “Words don’t come close to how proud I am of you - the man you have become and the dad you’re going to be - you are so loved.”
But Leigh-Anne’s always been a romantic, and her bandmates said they always knew she’d be the first to get married.
In a March 2020 interview, Leigh-Anne admitted, “I’ve planned the wedding next year and I’m not even engaged!" Leigh-Anne spilled. "Put it that way. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Leigh-Anne’s so excited about finally marrying the man of her dreams, but things have had to temporarily go on ice as the twins are their priority at the moment. Even though she’s been a self-confessed Bridezilla, all their energy right now is focused on the babies.”
Actual couple goals right there.
We recently revealed the secret signs things weren’t right with Little Mix for YEARS – from Jesy ‘desperation for dominance’ to ‘peacemaker’ Jade.
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