Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson has said she is doing her latest project, a documentary for the BBC exploring body image and mental health, because she “wants to make a change and a difference to other people’s lives”.

The programme, which has a working title of Jesy Nelson: My Story and will premiere on BBC Three before airing on BBC One, will look at “how growing up in a social media-fuelled age of selfies, body shaming and trolling is having a profound impact on the mental health of young people”.

The 27-year-old singer said: “This is a project really close to my heart, and I’m delighted to be working with the BBC on a documentary that will both challenge me personally and also highlight a hugely important issue affecting young people today.”

Alongside a short video posted on Instagram announcing the news, Nelson wrote: “Mental health awareness is something we should all be talking about more. Having suffered myself I decided I want to do something about it.

“So I’m pleased to announce I’m making a film with the BBC, telling my own personal story and exploring how social media, body shaming and trolling is affecting the mental health of young people.”

In the video she added that it was a subject which “personally I think we don’t speak about enough”.

BBC Three controller Fiona Campbell said: “BBC Three has a rich history of delivering impactful films and we’re really pleased that we can provide a platform for Jesy to tell her story.

“As a young female in a successful girl band where intense scrutiny from the public is the norm, Jesy offers a unique perspective on the impact social media can have on an individual and their mental health.

“It promises to be an eye-opening watch, full of universal themes which will no doubt resonate with our audience.”

The BBC’s head of commissioning, popular factual and factual entertainment, David Brindley, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Jesy on what promises to be a very personal film.

“We hope her encounters whilst making the documentary will be helpful both to her and millions of others around the country who are going through similar experiences.”

Little Mix – comprised of Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall – won the X Factor in 2011.