Pop Star Reveals Rare Reason for Her ‘Bloated’ Appearance
“I’m so sick of people commenting on my body.”
Isabel Infantes/Reuters
English pop star Jade Thirlwall revealed that a rare medical condition causes her stomach to bloat.
Influencer Gemma Renwick posted a TikTok video titled “I can’t burp,” sharing her experience with retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (RCPD). The rare lifelong condition makes it physically impossible for a person to burp or belch.
“Omg I finally feel so seen and understood,” Thirlwall, 33, commented. “It’s always been a fun fact that I can’t burp.”
“But it’s caused issues my whole life, and I’m so sick of people commenting on my body onstage when I’m just bloated [as f---],” the singer wrote.
Jade Thirlwall said she gets comments about her “bloated appearance.” Pictured here on stage at the Glastonbury Festival in England in June 2025.
Jim Dyson/Redferns via Getty Images
The condition, also known as no-burp syndrome, does not have serious medical impacts on a person’s health, but it can cause unpleasant and even emotionally distressing symptoms. These include severe stomach pains, chest pains, nausea, and excessive flatulence, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Thirlwall continued that she would like to try “throtox,” a portmanteau of throat and Botox, a recommended treatment in which Botox is injected into the cricopharyngeal muscle under general anesthesia to help relax it and allow the patient to burp.
Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Perrie Edwards of Little Mix performing on NBC's "Today" show in New York City in 2014.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters
But Thirlwall worried the injections would affect her vocals. She was part of the popular girl group Little Mix with Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards, and Jesy Nelson, formed by former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland in the U.K.’s The X Factor in 2011.
Sign up to receive news and updates from The Looker
By clicking “Sign Up” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The group won the competition show, but went on hiatus in 2022, after which Thirlwall embarked on a solo career.
Jade Thirlwall often styles herself in clothes that cover her body. Pictured here at the BRIT Awards in Manchester, Britain, in February 2026.
Temilade Adelaja/REUTERS
Thirlwall, who has previously battled with anorexia, has received negative comments about her body for years. When she gained weight, people could be cruel with their comments.
“I have a daily battle with myself not to go on Ozempic,” she told The Guardian in August 2025. “I don’t judge people that do, but because I have a history of eating disorders, I don’t know where taking something like that would end for me.”
“Now I’m in my thirties and the healthiest I’ve ever been,” Thirlwall continued, “but every time I post a picture, there are comments saying, ‘She must be pregnant.’”
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…