Cheryl has sadly been left to raise Bear alone (Image: INSTAGRAM)The entertainment world is reeling from the sudden death of Liam Payne, the former One Direction heartthrob, who tragically died at the tender age of 31. The star was found dead after a horrifying fall from the third floor of his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday. Tributes have been pouring in for Liam, including from his ex-partner Cheryl, with whom he shares his seven year old son Bear. In a statement released last night, Cheryl expressed her devastation: “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.” Cheryl honoured Liam’s memory by sharing a previously unseen picture of him with their son Bear, who was born in London on March 22, 2017.
Liam was a doting father to Bear
(Image: Instagram)
Liam had announced Bear’s birth on Instagram, overwhelmed with emotion, he wrote: “My close friends and family know there are very few times when I’m left speechless… wow! ” as he celebrated becoming a dad. Despite their split not long after Bear’s first birthday, Liam and Cheryl remained dedicated to co-parenting. Liam, though not always physically present, consistently ensured that Bear was well taken care of. In 2019, he played a key role in helping Cheryl secure a home in Buckinghamshire. This is where the Girls Aloud sensation raised Bear with her mum Joan’s help. Liam later purchased a property nearby to stay close to his family. Despite their superstar status, Liam and Cheryl chose to keep their son away from the limelight, only occasionally offering fans a sneak peek into his life via social media. Opening up about their contrasting parenting styles, Cheryl admitted she was “the strict one”, while Liam was “much softer”. Fast forward to 2020, Cheryl shared an adorable video of Bear talking for the first time, revealing that he had picked up a strong Geordie accent after spending his formative years with the Newcastle-born star and her mum.
Cheryl posted a sweet photo of Liam and baby Bear
(Image: Instagram/cherylofficial)
In the video, the then three year old Bear can be heard asking his mum if they could visit their local park, sounding just like his Geordie mum. As Bear grew older, Cheryl couldn’t help but gush over how he was following in his parents’ footsteps, showing a knack for singing and performing. Earlier this year, Cheryl shared a rare photo of Bear during a soundcheck for the Girls Aloud tour in May. The snapshot shows Cheryl holding Bear’s hand on stage as they prepare for her band’s concert at Sheffield Arena. In March, Liam shared a heartwarming photo of Bear gazing up at a billboard featuring his dad. The caption read: “I want to be on a billboard one day daddy.” Fans were amazed by how much Bear had grown, sporting a thick head of brown hair reminiscent of his mum’s locks.
The One Direction star posted a photo of Bear looking at a billboard with his dad on it
(Image: No credit)
Last year, Cheryl revealed that Bear was starting to grasp the concept of his parents’ fame, despite her efforts to shield him from the spotlight and give him a normal childhood. The singer confessed her concerns about people recognising her son in public, saying: “The problem is that I want Bear to have a normal childhood. I don’t want people recognising him on the street. But he’s twigged that I’m famous. The other day he said ‘How lucky am I to have famous parents? ‘ I said, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ He goes: ‘Yeah. But it’s pretty cool’.” In an emotional video shared on his 31st birthday in August, Liam expressed his excitement about spending time with Bear, affectionately calling him his “mini me”. Liam said: “I didn’t get any dad socks yet thought. I’m going to speak to my son in a little bit which I’m really excited about. Bless him. He’s getting so big now. He’s a big boy and he looks like a mini me. As if we needed any more me in the world.”
Cheryl took Bear on stage with her during a soundcheck for the Girls Aloud tour in Newcastle in May
(Image: Instagram)
Simon Cowell, meanwhile, has penned a heartfelt tribute to Liam Payne, reminiscing on their close relationship which began on the X Factor and continued as Liam soared to global fame with One Direction. He said: “I have met your son Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in your eyes you have,” he noted. “He will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it.” Bear, following his father’s untimely passing, stands to inherit an estimated wealth of £46 million. Sources close to Payne reveal he took steps “some years ago” to secure Bear’s financial future.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnCherylLiam PayneSimon CowellGirls AloudOne Direction
