Girl band Little Mix have said aftercare on reality shows is ‘so important’ after revealing ‘they didn’t get it’ after they won the X Factor in 2011.

The group, made up of members Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards, were speaking as their own reality show The Search starts this weekend.

Nelson told Radio Times: "I just remember being taken into a room and being given our schedule for the next year and we were like, ‘Sorry, what?’

“It was like your life was taken away. Not that we are complaining about that, but you do get thrown into it without a second to think about anything, which can be a lot to deal with.

“Our aftercare for these contestants is so important to us because we didn’t really get that. We never had anyone checking on us to see how we were doing mentally, it was all just go, go, go. I personally don’t feel like there was anyone who cared.”

And Pinnock added: “When we won, we weren’t even allowed to spend time with our families to celebrate.

“There’s a lot more awareness now about mental health, but people still just see the pop, the smiles and the stage, and they don’t really understand what goes on. I kind of wish there was a lot more help along the way.”

The Search, which airs  on BBC One, will see the band put together a group from individuals who audition, just as they were put together on The X Factor.

The winning band will support Little Mix on their upcoming tour.