Liam Payne and Cheryl Cole’s relationship: From X Factor meeting to coparenting
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Liam Payne has tragically passed away at the age of 31 due to a fall from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
At the time of his passing, the One Direction singer was dating influencer Kate Cassidy. Meanwhile, his former fiancée, Maya Henry, had sent him a cease and desist notice the previous week, claiming that he had been reaching out to her despite their breakup.
Before Liam met Cassidy in October 2022 and Henry in 2019, he was involved with Cheryl Cole, who was previously a judge on The X Factor.
The couple has a seven-year-old son named Bear.
We outline the sequence of events regarding how the couple first met in an unusual way and the development of their relationship afterwards.
In 2008, Cheryl and Liam had their first encounter on the set of The X Factor.
When Liam was just 14 years old, he first crossed paths with X Factor judge Cheryl during the fifth season of the hit show in 2008. He performed "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra and even winked at the former member of Girls Aloud.
"I found you really attractive; you have a certain charm, and that playful wink you gave me caught my attention," she shared regarding her initial thoughts. At that time, Cheryl was married to Chelsea football player Ashley Cole.
The hopeful artist from Wolverhampton reached the boot camp phase of the contest but was eliminated by Simon Cowell, who suggested they return in two years.
2010 - One Direction comes together.
The singer came back to the competition in the year Cheryl ended her marriage with Ashley. At that point, Liam had been eliminated as a solo performer. However, Nicole Scherzinger, a judge on X Factor and a member of the Pussycat Dolls, proposed the idea of creating a band by uniting the solo contestants who had been turned down, including Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Liam himself.
2015 - Liam and Cheryl come back together.
In December 2015, One Direction took the stage at the X Factor finale, which is said to be where Cole and Payne reconnected. At that point, Cheryl was in a marriage with her second husband, Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini.
In 2016, Cheryl ended her marriage with her second husband while rumors about her relationship with Liam Payne were circulating, and the couple publicly announced their romance.
In February, the couple ended their relationship, with speculation that Cole was now seeing the One Direction star. Payne posted several photos on Instagram celebrating the singer, including one on International Women’s Day where he referred to her as his “favorite woman in the world.”
Even though there is a 10-year age difference between them, the couple confirmed their relationship in May of the same year by making a public appearance at the Global Gift Gala in Cannes.
In 2017, Liam and Cheryl celebrated the arrival of their first baby.
On March 25, 2017, the pair revealed that they had welcomed their first baby, a boy they named Bear. Cheryl posted a photo of Liam cradling their little one.
"My dear friends and family are well aware that it's rare for me to be at a loss for words... wow! I'm absolutely thrilled to announce the arrival of our baby boy," Liam expressed in a heartfelt message on his Instagram account.
"It's a moment I will cherish forever, and it's my favorite memory to date. I'm truly amazed by his wonderful mother and all the support she's given throughout this journey; she has really helped make my dreams a reality."
2018 - The couple parted ways.
In July 2018, Liam revealed on X/Twitter that he and his partner had ended their relationship. This came after speculation that the singer's commitment to promoting his solo career was making it difficult for them to find time for each other.
He shared: “Cheryl and I are heartbroken to let you know that we’re parting ways. This has been a difficult choice for both of us.”
“Our family bond remains strong, and we cherish each other deeply. Bear means everything to us, and we kindly ask that you honor his privacy as we work through this together.”
2019 - 2024 Building New Connections and Shared Parenting
Following his breakup with Cheryl, Liam started a new relationship with 23-year-old model Maya Henry from Texas in 2019, and they got engaged the following year. By June 2021, however, they chose to part ways. They got back together later that year, but ultimately called off their engagement for good in May 2022.
Liam is said to have stayed involved in his son Bear's life.
"I drive my son to school once or twice a week, and it's truly a wonderful experience. The friendship between him and Cheryl has continued to develop and strengthen," he shared with YouTuber Logan Paul.
“We ended our relationship for a specific reason, and now she allows me complete freedom to live my life as I choose. I’m confident that he’s being well cared for. He is her top priority, and I couldn't ask for anything better.”
2024 - Liam tragically passes away after falling from a balcony.
When he passed away, he was dating influencer Kate Cassidy, whom he had encountered in October 2022.
As of now, Cheryl has not issued any comments regarding the death.
