Following his recent passing, Liam Payne is survived by his only child, whom he welcomed with another prominent celebrity. Liam always valued being a father, often expressing his gratitude for the experience and speaking fondly of the special connection he shared with his son.
Liam Payne, widely recognized as a former member of the iconic boy band One Direction, tragically lost his life during a recent trip abroad with his partner. The heartbreaking event has left his young son without a father.
The singer crossed paths with the mother of his child, Cheryl Cole, through his music career. Cheryl, also a British singer, gained fame as a member of the pop girl group Girls Aloud before being selected by Simon Cowell to serve as a judge on “The X Factor: UK” in 2008.
The two first met in 2010 when Liam auditioned as a solo contestant on “The X Factor: UK.” However, it wasn’t until years later, after Cheryl’s split from her then-husband, Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, that they were reintroduced by Cowell and became a couple.
Liam and Cheryl’s relationship sparked curiosity due to their ten-year age difference, but that didn’t discourage them from continuing with their romance. In November 2016, news reports revealed that Liam and Cheryl were expecting their first child together. However, the mother-to-be didn’t officially confirm her pregnancy until February 2017.
In March 2017, Liam and Cheryl welcomed their baby boy. The new dad reportedly shared the news on social media, posting a photo of himself holding his newborn son. Liam expressed his joy, calling it an unforgettable moment and praising Cheryl for her strength throughout the journey. Though they hadn’t chosen a name yet, he expressed how blessed he felt and how their son had already captured his heart.
The proud first-time father also took to X to express gratitude to those who sent their well wishes, “Thank you to everyone for the love and supportive messages for myself and @CherylOfficial. It really means a lot.”
Despite welcoming their son, Bear Payne, their romance didn’t last. When Bear was just 16 months old, the celebrity couple publicly announced their split, ending their two-and-a-half-year relationship. In July 2018, Liam and Cheryl announced their breakup on their respective X pages, sharing the news with their followers. “Cheryl and I are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. […] We still have so much love for each other as a family,” Liam wrote. Meanwhile, a similar message from Cheryl read, “[…] Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.”
Despite welcoming their son, Bear Payne, their romance didn’t last. When Bear was just 16 months old, the celebrity couple publicly announced their split, ending their two-and-a-half-year relationship. In July 2018, Liam and Cheryl announced their breakup on their respective X pages, sharing the news with their followers. “Cheryl and I are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. […] We still have so much love for each other as a family,” Liam wrote. Meanwhile, a similar message from Cheryl read, “[…] Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.”
2017 has been a crazy year! I'm gonna post a memory every day this week. First has to be my baby boy Bear! Holding him for the first time is a memory I will never forget and watching him grow up is just amazing to see. pic.twitter.com/ZDtHh0ky7C
— Liam (@LiamPayne) December 26, 2017
Following their split, Liam and Cheryl successfully co-parented their son, Bear. As a public figure, Cheryl wanted Bear to experience a normal childhood without the spotlight. In an interview with Vogue, she divulged that while Bear has started to understand their fame—once telling her, “‘How lucky am I to have famous parents?’”—she downplayed its significance and reminded him that fame wasn’t what truly mattered.