Cheryl & Liam enjoy late-night heart to hearts as he stays over
After his engagement to Maya Henry ended, pals say the split has cleared the way for Liam Payne to play happy families again as he spends more time at ex Cheryl’s home with son Bear
They’d vowed to keep their son, Bear, out of the spotlight, but last week Liam Payne gave fans a rare glimpse of life with his and ex Cheryl’s child.
As the three celebrated Father’s Day together at Cheryl’s Buckinghamshire home,
Liam, 27, proudly filmed the homemade cookies the four year old had made him, with Bear’s sweet Geordie accent heard in the background.
After pals recently told Closer a reunion could be on the cards for Cheryl and Liam – after his split with ex-fiancée Maya Henry, 21 – their weekend together further fuelled fan speculation over their relationship status.
One said, “Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s secretly back with Cheryl”, while another posted, “Baby number two on the way.”
And now the Strip That Down singer no longer feels “torn” between spending time with Maya and his ex – an issue that reportedly contributed to his recent break-up – insiders say it’s paved the way for him to freely devote more of his time to Bear and Cheryl, 37.
A source says, “Of course Liam was upset about the split, but it isn’t lost on him that he has a new-found freedom to be with Cheryl and Bear without feeling guilty or worrying about what he posts on social media.
“He’s been spending a lot more time at Cheryl’s, and sometimes hangs out for the day and stays overnight. He sleeps in a spare room if it gets too late to drive back to his house in Surrey, which takes over an hour.
“Liam’s been enjoying a sense of ‘normal’ family life again. He loves being able to wake up with Cheryl and Bear and have a cosy breakfast in their pyjamas together, playing games.
CONNECTION
“He’s also really enjoyed staying up with Cheryl after putting Bear to bed. They’ve been chatting late into the night, watching
TV, and reminiscing over all the cute things Bear has said and done. It’s been great to have that connection again.
“And it’s been wonderful for Bear. He adores having his dad stay round, and Cheryl’s said how much she enjoys seeing their son revel in having his mam and dad together again.”
Notoriously private Cheryl – who has a small circle of trusted friends – was said to have felt quite lonely during lockdown. Reports claimed she was “living like a hermit” after Liam couldn’t visit due to the restrictions.
While her mum, Joan, often comes to stay from her native Newcastle, along with her brother, Garry, insiders say having Liam around more has made the single mum realise how much she misses being part of a family unit. Last week, Cheryl said in an interview that lockdown taught her to learn to “be happy on [her] own”.
The source says, “Cheryl’s daily life felt a little isolating during lockdown – especially when Bear started school. Her evenings sometimes felt lonely.
“But since Liam’s been coming over more, she’s enjoyed some kid-free time. Having fun with him has made her realise how much she missed his company.”
Cheryl has previously said she would always “love and adore” her ex and just a couple of months ago, Liam revealed they were “closer than [we’ve] ever been before”.
The source adds, “She’s feeling really loved up with this new family life – them all being together is what makes her happiest.”
Following their split in July 2018, Cheryl hinted it was Liam who’d ended their twoand-a-half-year relationship. Responding to an interviewer who asked why she pulled the plug, 10 months after their break-up, the star shot back, “Who said it was me?”
THERAPY
While the pair never publicly gave a reason for their split, Cheryl’s frustration with Liam’s loose-lipped antics, along with their 10-year age gap, were said to have contributed to the pair going their separate ways.
Despite Liam moving on quickly – dating models Cairo Dwek and Naomi Campbell before falling for Texan-born
Maya in August 2018 – twicedivorced Cheryl has remained single, insisting she’d “date a shelf stacker from Sainsbury’s” if it meant finding happiness.
Confirming the end of his engagement last month, Liam – who has been open about his mental health struggles since shooting to worldwide fame aged just 17 with One Direction – revealed that, like Cheryl, he “threw” himself into therapy to fight his demons. Cheryl has previously said she did the same to combat her crippling anxiety.
ANOTHER SHOT
Liam has also been up front about the toll lockdown had on his weight, revealing last month, “I put a lot of weight on. I did one performance on TV with the Baftas and I was disappointed with myself. I didn’t look how I wanted to look... I let myself go.” Since then, he revealed he’d quit alcohol and worked on his diet and fitness regime, which the source says health-conscious Cheryl – who last month revealed she was the face of supplement brand Feel Good – helps him with.
The source says, “Cheryl has been encouraging Liam to make changes to be healthier. She’s into healthy cooking, exercise and yoga, and only has the occasional glass of alcohol. It’s rubbing off on Liam – he wants a better lifestyle, like her, and to feel good in his own skin again.”
After Liam saying “I already feel good” after working on his issues and crediting Cheryl for being “chill these days”, pals say they’ve frankly started talking about getting back together.
Earlier this month, sources told Closer that broody Cheryl – who revealed in 2020 she was looking into “other options” for having a baby – was open to the idea of them having a second child, to give Bear a full sibling.
And now insiders say spending so much time together since Liam’s split from Maya has highlighted how deep their connection is, which has made both of them consider giving things another shot.
The source says, “They are still very much attracted to each other. It’s clear there’s a spark and now they’re both in much better places, they feel it could be a case of second time lucky.”
But insiders say although Cheryl – who turns 38 this week – appears loved-up, she is worried about potential negative impacts on their friendship if a reunion doesn’t work. The source adds, “She’s nervous about souring things if their relationship didn’t work out the second time around.
“Her pals suggested she tests the waters behind closed doors before they go public, so they can take a step back if it doesn’t work.
“Meanwhile, Liam is planning something special for her birthday. Everyone is hoping this might be a chance to see if it can be a case of things working out second time around.”
❛ THEY ARE STILL VERY MUCH ATTRACTED TO EACH OTHER. IT’S CLEAR THERE’S A SPARK ❜