Daily Mail

Ex factor?

Just 11 months after birth of their son, Cheryl and Liam ‘preparing to split’

- By Alisha Rouse Showbusine­ss Correspond­ent

HIS relationsh­ip with Cheryl is said to be on the rocks just 11 months after the birth of their baby.

And Liam Payne seemed in no rush to get home as he enjoyed a Saturday night out at the boxing.

The One Direction star, 24, was pictured alongside former athlete Denise Lewis, leaving Cheryl, ten years his senior, at home with their son Bear.

Sources claim Payne and the singer are in crisis talks as his work schedule, including weeks away recording in Los Angeles, is taking a toll.

Cheryl, 34, is said to have stayed with him for their son’s sake, but to be struggling with his solo career and their age difference. While the couple are still together, they are reportedly unsure about their future and preparing to separate.

‘There’s a big age gap between them,’ a source told The Sun. ‘If they didn’t have Bear then they would have most likely split up by now. But they do love their son.

‘And they do care for each other so it’s now a matter of seeing if there’s a final way forward to try and make it work.’

The couple have not been pictured together in public since a charity event in November 2016, but have often shared gushing posts on social media.

Payne’s latest Instagram post, on Valentine’s Day, just showed a child’s T- shirt with the slogan ‘Bear is mummy’s little Valentine’, accompanie­d by the message: ‘Happy Valentine’s Day Cheryl and everyone. Looks like I’ve got the big guy to compete with now.’

During Payne’s solo US tour, Cheryl has been left at home taking care of their son. But on Saturday night he was back in Britain and still leaving her alone with the baby as he posed with Miss Lewis at the George Groves vs Chris Eubank Jr fight in Manchester.

The former X Factor contestant has also made a noticeable change to his style in recent months.

Once a clean-cut boy band figure, he has amassed a large number of tattoos and taken to posting pictures of himself shirtless on his hotel bed. He met Cheryl when he was 14 and auditionin­g for The X Factor where the singer, then 24, was a judge.

They are thought to have been dating since around February 2016 after Cheryl split from husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, a French restaurate­ur.

Within weeks of the romance starting Payne had a tribute to his girlfriend tattooed on his hand.

Cheryl legally goes by her maiden name Cheryl Tweedy, but prefers to be known only by her first name profession­ally. Before marrying Fernandez-Versini in 2014 she was married to footballer Ashley Cole for four years.

Spokesmen for Cheryl and Payne were approached for comment.

 ??  ?? Close: Liam Payne with pregnant Cheryl at a charity event
Close: Liam Payne with pregnant Cheryl at a charity event
 ??  ?? Apart: Liam meets Denise Lewis while Cheryl, seen with Prince Charles 11 days ago, stayed at home
Apart: Liam meets Denise Lewis while Cheryl, seen with Prince Charles 11 days ago, stayed at home
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