Viewers Are Calling For 'Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out' To Be Shown In Schools

If there's any such thing as vital watching, Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out is it.

The heartbreaking BBC film follows Little Mix's Jesy Nelson as she chronicles the online abuse she received after the band's rise to fame on The X Factor, including being called 'the fat one' and being told 'you deserve to die'.

Now, viewers are demanding the film be shown a in schools across the nation to teach students about the damaging affects of cyberbullying.

For the first time, the 28-year-old bravely speaks about the devastating effect cyberbullies have had on her mental health - including her own suicide attempt.

The documentary is being praised online, with people calling it vital viewing for young people considering using hurtful language online.

"Jesy Nelson's 'Odd One Out' - show it in schools, tell your mates, watch it. Let's knock this shit on the head," said one viewer.

"This documentary should be shown in schools to start a conversation about social media and more generally how we treat each other. Really hard to watch. Searingly honest and very important," agreed another.

"Amazing woman, this documentary should be shown in schools all over the world, well done #Jesy Nelson," penned a third.

"Jesy Nelson's #OddOneOut documentary should be shown in schools and in workplaces all over the world. People need to understand what actually happens when they say disgusting, cruel and judgemental things on the internet," said another.

"This programme, with the beautiful & incredibly brave Jesy Nelson, should be shown in all secondary schools as a warning of the dangers of trolling. #bekind #OddOneOut."

Jesy recalls her first insight into the dark world of online abuse when X Factor producers asked the band to get on social media. Instantly, Jesy was bombarded with hundreds of vile messages for faceless trolls, crushing her self confidence.

Before long, Jesy's mental health was suffering and it began to show, from breaking down during performances to not being able to showing up for events. In the documentary, bandmates Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thriwall recall Jesy's heartbreaking decline in teary scenes.

In 2013, two years after Little Mix won the TV competition, the band were asked back to perform during one of the live finals. Jesy recalls: "I didn't give a sh*t if the performance was going to be good, all I cared about was people seeing me and going 'oh she looks good, she's lost weight'."

The very next day, Jesy was told about a vile tweet from Katie Hopkins making fun of her weight - the first spiralled into depression.

"I just remember thinking this is never going to go, I'm just going to constantly wake up and feel sad for the rest of my life so what is the point in being here?," Jesy says through tears.

In the documentary, Jesy allows cameras a behind-the-scenes look at her personal and professional life, speaking to her family and friends. Jesy also meets the parents of Sian Waterhouse, who tragically took her life after online bullying at the age of 16.

Finally, we see Jesy on her road to rehabilitation as she talks about how she deals with online trolls today, and cameras meet her boyfriend Chris Hughes.

Chris - who has been dating Jesy for nine months - said: "One day it'll click and she'll look at herself and she'll see that she is beautiful and she is unbelievable.

"She doesn't see that when she takes her make-up off so that's why I tell her every night."

You can watch Jesy Nelson: Odd One Out on iPlayer here.

Featured Image Credit: BBC

Topics: Jesy Nelson, Little Mix, Mental Health, TV Entertainment

Ciara Sheppard

Ciara is a freelance journalist working for Tyla. After graduating from the University of Sussex, Ciara worked as a writer at GLAMOUR Magazine and later as the Assistant Editor of Yahoo Style UK.

@ciarasheppard