Cheryl Cole’s mum & friends rally around her as singer tells of ‘earth shattering’ agony over One Direction star’s death
CHERYL’S family and friends have rallied round to support her following the death of ex Liam Payne, with her mum by her side at her Buckinghamshire home.
Cheryl, 41, broke her silence on the tragic death of the former 1D singer, who fell from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday afternoon, calling it an “earth shattering event”.
The former X Factor judge has been inundated with support from her nearest and dearest following the devastating news.
A source told The Sun: “She’s got her mum with her a lot, and especially now she’s there. There’s been people visiting, flowers have been delivered. But [Cheryl] has not come out [of her home].”
She is said to have last seen Liam in early September, when he visited their seven-year-old son Bear, with the former 1D star described as looking “happy and healthy” during their final meeting.
It comes as…
- Liam’s dead Geoff read tributes outside the hotel where he died
- Liam checked into rehab weeks before his death but quit 48 hours later
- Louis Tomlinson seen for first time since Liam’s death
- Tragic messages prove Louis was ‘reaching out to Liam’
- Liam’s worried friends planned an intervention over his drink & drug use
- Cops reveal minute-by-minute breakdown of events before Liam’s death
- Liam’s phone key to solving death mystery – as cops hunt drug dealer
- One of the last people to see Liam alive reveals ‘disturbing’ behaviour
- Liam was ‘dropped by his record label’ days before he died
One source told The Sun: “He looked really happy and at peace here, and even though [Liam and Cheryl] weren’t together, they looked like they were doing great at co parenting and doing the best for the child.
“He was very involved. Sometimes he’s done with the school run as well. He seemed really lovely and caring with his son.”
Speaking on Youtuber Logan Paul’s podcast in 2022, Liam – reportedly worth some £46 million – opened up about co-parenting the tot with ex Cheryl.
The One Direction star said: “My life now is his, my money is his.
“I have actually got several companies that are up and running that I know he can run one day if he wants to or [he can sell them].”
Liam told Logan at the time that he was a “lovely boy” and described being a dad as “the coolest thing”.
He also fondly described Cheryl as “the best mum in the world” and thanked her for giving him “full autonomy” to pursue his career while taking care of Bear.
Cheryl broke her silence on Instagram last night, two days after news of Liam’s death on Wednesday afternoon.
She posted on Instagram: “As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.
“Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son.
“A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
Inside Liam Payne and Cheryl's romance
By Joanne Kavanagh, Showbiz Reporter
It was a romance that caused a media storm.
One Direction hunk Liam Payne was only 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 pair got together despite their ten-year age gap.
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 getting a tattoo of her eye on his arm.
Cheryl was pregnant at the time and gave birth to a boy on March 22, 2017.
She posted a picture on Instagram of Liam cradling their 7lb 9oz baby and captioned: “On Wednesday Liam and I became parents to an incredibly beautiful, healthy baby boy looking like a dream.”
One pal told The Sun: “Liam didn’t leave Cheryl’s side throughout the birth, and like her, he is besotted with their new son and can’t wait to take him home.
“This is the perfect Mother’s Day for Cheryl.”
The Sun revealed in May 2017 that the couple named their son Bear.
They decided on the unusual name after spending a week getting to know him.
In February 2018, The Sun broke the news that Liam’s constant travelling to promote his solo career had placed a huge strain on the relationship, and the pair were ready to split.
That same month, Cheryl said “none of it matters” as she shrugged off questions about her crumbling romance with Liam during a BBC Breakfast interview.
They then put on a united front together at the Brit Awards where they smiled on the red carpet and Cheryl joked about the couple’s ‘safe word’.
However, by July 2018, Cheryl and Liam made the decision to split.
A pal told The Sun: “Cheryl and Liam worked really hard on their relationship – they had troubles earlier this year and were able to get through them.
“But they’re in different stages of their lives and, after a lot of careful thought, came to a decision that it’s best for everyone if they do go their separate ways.”
Liam and Cheryl released a statement confirming their break-up which read: “We are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. It’s been a tough 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 navigate our way through this together.”
FRESH START
Liam was reportedly “keen for a fresh start” with Cheryl prior to his death.
The dad’s relationship with his son was recently put under the spotlight and it is believed he wanted to “prove” he was getting his life together for his firstborn.
A source previously told how Little Things hitmaker Liam was building things back up for his son and said to OK! Magazine: “We don’t see a lot of Bear on Liam’s social media but I think he wants to prove to Cheryl that he’s getting his life together.”
It comes as the Sun reported last night how Liam had entered rehab just weeks ago to get clean – but heartbreakingly quit after two days.
He checked into The Priory in late July to try to beat his drugs and booze demons.
But he walked out 48 hours into his 28-day Addiction Therapy Programme — devastating close family and friends.
Champagne, prescription drugs, white powder and foil wraps were all found in Liam’s trashed room at the CasaSur Hotel in the Palermo area of the Argentine capital after he fell from the balcony at around 5pm (9pm UK time).
Fellow hotel guests revealed the star had been acting in a “disturbing” manner shortly before his fall, with Liam admitting to one woman: “I used to be in a boy band – that’s why I’m so f**ked up.”
Last year, Liam revealed he had spent 100 days in a wellness clinic.
He told of his rehab stint and said: “I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself actually, because I kind of became somebody who I didn’t really recognise any more.”
At the time, he praised Cheryl and his son and said: “Honestly, more than anything I want to say thank you to Bear and his mum for giving me a little bit of freedom to go and get well.
“There is no point trying to be a dad when you have nothing to teach.
“I feel like I have a grip on life now.
“After I got back out, that process had worked for me, but there were still some little bits left that I kind of had to deal with myself.”
One Direction statements in full
We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say.
But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.
We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.
Louis Tomlinson wrote: “His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on.
“Thank you for shaping us Liam.
“I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.
“I wish I got a chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you.”
Zayn Malik said: “Liam I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.
“I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life.
“When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved.”
He added: “When it came to the music, Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense.
“I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional.
“I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly.
“I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever”.
And Harry Styles wrote: “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing.
“His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it.
“Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious.
“He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.
“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.
“My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did.”
Niall Horan wrote: “I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn’t feel real.
“Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure.
“All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness.
“We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.
“I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking.
“My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course his son Bear.”