LIAM Payne ‘never stopped loving Cheryl’ after their split, according to Simon Cowell’s brother Tony Cowell.
The One Direction band member, who shared son Bear (7) with the Promise This hitmaker, died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony.
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Liam Payne ‘never stopped loving Cheryl’ after their split, according to Simon Cowell’s brother Tony CowellCredit: Getty
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Liam died aged 31 Credit: Getty
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Liam and Cheryl have a seven-year-old son together named Bear Credit: Getty
And Tony said this will be “so hard” for singer Cheryl.
He told Closer magazine: “Liam was just 16 when I first met him backstage at The X Factor in 2010.
“I will never forget how open and honest he was. He always had a big smile on his face. He had a quiet maturity, even then.
“Our family has known Liam for so many years. I will always remember how he always tried to talk to our late mum, Julie, when she was in Simon’s dressing room.
“Yes, fame took its toll on his mental health, but he remained kind and considerate and an amazing friend to many, and a wonderful father. [his son] Bear; so generous and private.”
He continued: “Liam was determined to win Simon’s approval [on The X Factor]. He was desperate to please him.
“We are devastated. I also sympathize with Simon. He met Liam a few months ago, when Liam took Bear to see him at his house in the Cotswolds, and Bear was playing with his son Eric.
“I also feel for Cheryl because I know Liam never stopped loving her and Bear. It will be so hard for her. I can’t imagine her pain. And Louis Walsh is devastated. He told me: ‘Liam had the quality of a star in him. I will miss him.’
“It was heartwarming to see this outpouring of grief around the world for Liam. I want to remember him as a wonderful young man, a normal kid trying to fight his demons.”
Cheryl Cole breaks silence on Liam Payne’s ‘heartbreaking’ death, says son Bear will ‘never see his father again’
Liam was 23 when Bear arrived in 2017.
A source previously shared how Little Things hitmaker Liam was revamping things for his son and told OK! Magazine: “We don’t see much of Bear on Liam’s social media, but I think he wants to prove to Cheryl that he’s getting his life together.”
During a podcast interview in June 2022, Liam described Bear as a “lovely, wonderful guy” and praised his ex-partner Cheryl, 41.
In the romance of Liam Payne and Cheryl
By Joanna Kavanagh, Showbiz Reporter
It was a romance that caused a media storm.
One Direction man Liam Payne was just 14 when he met former X Factor judge Cheryl during the show in 2008.
But it wasn’t until 2016 – when the Girls Aloud singer was divorcing her second husband – that the couple got together despite their ten-year age difference.
The couple made their relationship official in May of that year when they appeared at Eva Longoria’s Global Gift Gala in Paris.
In 2017, Liam paid a sweet tribute to his girlfriend by tattooing her eye on his arm.
Cheryl was pregnant at the time and gave birth to a baby boy on March 22, 2017.
She posted a picture of Liam cradling their 7lb 9oz baby on Instagram and wrote: “On Wednesday Liam and I became parents to an incredibly beautiful, healthy baby boy who looks like a dream.”
A friend told The Sun: “Liam didn’t leave Cheryl during the birth and, like her, is smitten with their new son and can’t wait to take him home.
“It’s the perfect Mother’s Day for Cheryl.”
The Sun revealed in May 2017 that the couple had named their son Bear.
They decided on an unusual name after a week of getting to know each other.
In February 2018, The Sun broke the news that Liam’s constant travel to promote his solo career had put a strain on the relationship and that the couple were set to part ways.
That same month, Cheryl said “none of it matters” as she brushed off questions about her crumbling romance with Liam during an interview with BBC Breakfast.
They then appeared together at the Brit Awards where they were all smiles on the red carpet, with Cheryl joking about the couple’s ‘safe word’.
However, in July 2018, Cheryl and Liam decided to divorce.
A friend told The Sun: “Cheryl and Liam have worked really hard on their relationship – they had problems earlier this year and they’ve worked through them.
“But they are at different stages in their lives and, after much careful consideration, they have come to the decision that it is best for everyone to go their separate ways.”
Liam and Cheryl released a statement confirming their split, which read: “We are saddened to announce that we are separating. It was a difficult decision for us to make.
“We still have so much love for each other as a family. Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we go through this together.”
He said: “She’s the best mum in the world, I couldn’t ask for a better one.”
Last year, he revealed that he spent 100 days in a wellness clinic.
He opened up about his rehab and said, “I really just needed to take some time for myself, because I kind of became someone I didn’t really recognize anymore.”
He then praised Cheryl and their son and said: “Honestly, more than anything I want to say thank you to Bear and his mum for giving me some freedom to go and get better.
“There’s no point in trying to be a dad when you have nothing to learn.
“I feel like I’m in control of life now.
“After I came back, that process worked for me, but there were still some little things I had to deal with on my own.”
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Simon’s brother said Liam was determined to win Simon’s approvalCredit: Getty
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Liam eulogized Cheryl and his son Bear before his death Credit: Getty
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