Jordan Stephens Defends Jade Thirlwall After On‑Air Pinterest Moment Ahead of Brit Awards
Jade Thirlwall was left visibly embarrassed when comedian Michael McIntyre projected her phone onstage and scrolled through her private Pinterest boards, a sequence that prompted her boyfriend Jordan Stephens to intervene. The exchange unfolded as both Thirlwall and fellow North East nominee Sam Fender prepare for the Brit Awards ceremony in Manchester on Saturday, February 28.
Jade Thirlwall embarrassed on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
During a segment of Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, the 50‑year‑old host asked Jade Thirlwall to hand over her phone so he could display its screen to the audience. McIntyre scrolled through multiple Pinterest boards and uncovered a folder labelled "Wedding, " among other collections titled Tattoos, Jordan, Learning, Christmas and Holidays. The revelation left Thirlwall, 33, flustered: she put her head in her hands, made an embarrassed sound and joked that she was "getting hot" while fanning herself.
Jordan Stephens defends Thirlwall live
Jordan Stephens, 34, who has been dating Thirlwall since 2020, laughed onstage but then moved to defend her. He told her: "I think you can step out of this one, boss, " and added: "These are nice dresses though, to be fair. " Thirlwall, who rose to fame with the X‑Factor winning group Little Mix, sought reassurance from the audience, asking: "That's just in case, does any other women have that on their phone?" The host continued to flick through images of women in white and quipped: "It would just be nice to get a sense of it ending, " while the audience erupted in laughter and McIntyre mock‑whispered to Stephens, "Jordan get out of there. Jordan get out of there. "
Brit Awards move to Manchester for first time outside London
The television appearance comes as the Brit Awards stage its ceremony outside London for the first time in its history, following the MOBO Awards and the Mercury Prize which both visited the North East within the last 12 years. Celebrities will be heading to Manchester for the show on the evening of Saturday, February 28, and the ceremony will be broadcast live on ITV, with coverage available from 8. 15pm.
Sam Fender’s nominations and betting odds from OLBG
Also representing the North East is Sam Fender, described as the Seventeen Going Under hitmaker and a North Shields native. Fender is up for four accolades, including Album of the Year for 'People Watching'—his third record—and OLBG places that album joint second in the bookmakers’ list behind Olivia Dean's 'The Art Of Loving. ' Fender is rated joint second alongside Lily Allen's 'West End Girl' in those odds. For Artist Of The Year, OLBG lists Fender as joint third at 2/1 alongside Lola Young, with Olivia Dean placed at evens and Jade Thirlwall priced at 8/1 in the same category.
Song of the Year market and ceremony performers
OLBG’s Song of the Year market ranks 'Messy' by Lola Young and 'Man I Need' by Olivia Dean as joint favourites at 6/4, while Fender's collaboration with Dean, 'Reign Me In, ' is priced at 6/1. That places it behind the two favourites and also behind Raye's 'Where Is My Husband, ' Ed Sheeran's 'Azizam' and 'Blessings' by Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas. The ceremony bill includes performances from Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Raye, Wolf Alice, Mark Ronson and American singer‑songwriter Sombr, whose real name is Shane Boose.
Advance honours and named winners
Advance awards have already been confirmed ahead of the live show: Noel Gallagher will be named Songwriter of the Year, Mark Ronson will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music award, and PinkPantheress—identified as Victoria Walker—has been announced as Producer of the Year.
By handing over her phone for a lighthearted television routine, Jade Thirlwall created a moment that played out in public and drew an immediate on‑air defence from Jordan Stephens; that visibility arrives as both she and fellow North East artists enter a high‑profile night at the Brit Awards in Manchester. The timing matters because the ceremony, its performances and the betting markets converge on February 28, bringing renewed attention to nominees from the region.
