Kaylah Walton
Liam Payne and Cheryl Cole were prominent figures in the UK media, having first met years before becoming romantically involved during their time on The X Factor. Their relationship concluded in 2018 but remains a significant part of Payne’s life story.
The 31-year-old singer, famous as a member of One Direction, tragically lost his life after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
At the time, Payne was in Buenos Aires on vacation with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, and had recently met up with his former bandmate, Niall Horan, who was performing there.
Despite splitting, Payne and Cole remained dedicated to co-parenting their son, Bear, who is now seven years old. Their highly publicized romance captured the attention of many, and it’s evident why it was so widely discussed.
Their First Encounter on The X Factor
Payne and Cole first met in 2008 when he auditioned for The X Factor at just 14 years old. At that time, Cheryl was already a well-known singer and a judge on the show, as well as being married to football player Ashley Cole.
Their paths crossed again in 2010 when Payne returned to The X Factor and became a member of One Direction, the famous boy band created by Simon Cowell, which included Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik.
However, it wasn’t until 2015 that Liam and Cheryl’s romantic relationship blossomed, long after their original meetings on The X Factor. They initially kept their romance private until officially confirming it in February 2016, at which point Cheryl was 32, and Liam was only 22. This relationship began following Cheryl’s divorce from her second husband, Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini.
The couple welcomed their son, Bear, in March 2017, marking a significant milestone in their relationship. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, reports of tension between them surfaced in early 2018, leading to their separation by mid-2018, while still committing to coparent Bear together.
