Following their 2018 breakup, Cheryl remained an important person in Liam Payne’s life, and a cryptic message appears to show how deeply he felt about the mother of his child. Liam, the former One Direction member who tragically died at 31 after a fall in Argentina, began dating Cheryl in 2016.
During their two-year romance, they were one of the most high-profile and talked-about couples in the entertainment industry. They had their son Bear in 2017 and split up shortly after his first birthday. Since his death, Cheryl has made a rare and impassioned public plea.
Although their personal relationship didn’t work out, they kept a mutual respect and commitment to raising Bear together. In 2019, Liam made a revealing comment about Cheryl, now 41, hinting at how the Girls Aloud star supported him when he needed it.
In the documentary Ant Middleton and Liam Payne: Straight Talking, Liam praised his famous ex, calling her the “best mom.”
They had their son Bear in 2017 and split up shortly after his first birthday (Image: Getty Images Europe)
He said: “She’s one of the most, if not the most, important people in my life.”
Without elaborating, he added: “I’m lucky I have someone who understands what I’m going through,” reports the Mirror. Cheryl first met Liam when she was a judge on The X Factor and he was a 14-year-old hopeful, unaware that he would later become a member of one of the most successful boybands ever.
At the time, 24-year-old Cheryl was married to footballer Ashley Cole and went by the name Cheryl Cole. Years later, when Cheryl was 32 and Liam was 22, their friendship blossomed into romance.
Despite their 10-year age gap, they shared common ground, having both achieved fame and success through popular TV talent shows. As a member of Girls Aloud, Cheryl also understood the pressures of being part of a highly successful pop group from a young age, having auditioned for Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 at just 19, which catapulted her to fame.
In a related development, Simon Cowell’s brother Tony recently revealed that Liam “never stopped loving” Cheryl after their split. Speaking to Closer magazine, Tony said: “I feel for Cheryl, as I know Liam never stopped loving her, and Bear. It’s going to be so difficult for her. I can’t imagine her pain. Louis Walsh is devastated too. He told me, ‘Liam had this star quality about him. I will miss him.’” The Mirror has previously reached out to Cheryl’s representatives for further comment on this story.
