‘Bear’s better off with his mum’
His manic work schedule promoting his solo material has seen him miss key events in his 15-month-old son Bear’s life – including his birthday and his second Father’s Day.
And speaking last week, following his split from Cheryl, Liam Payne hinted that he won’t fight for custody – even admitting a baby is better off with its mum, sparking a backlash from annoyed fans.
Liam, 24, insisted in the interview, “Babies want their mum; I would never have wanted to get in the way of that. It was easier to go out on the road just knowing he wanted his mum. Now, he looks at me and points at me like, ‘Here’s this fun guy!’ He knows.”
His comments provoked a furore online, with one fan posting, “I’m shocked he’s come out with this! He’s basically saying he’s never home and he doesn’t really see his son.” Another wrote, “More like doesn’t want the responsibility… he is hardly around that boy anyway.”
The former One Direction star – who is rumoured to have moved out of the couple’s Surrey mansion and into his own London pad – added, “I always wanted to be a young dad, but I didn’t expect that I’d ever be in this place.”
And opening up about missing key moments in Bear’s life due to his hectic tour schedule, he admitted, “Unfortunately, it’s a risk that I will miss out on certain things. I am aware of that, but it’s important for me that I carry on and make this right for him.”