Liam solo night without Cheryl at Baftas fuels rumours of rift

When the keen West Bromwich Albion fan appeared on Capital radio’s breakfast show he was asked if Bear will follow in his footsteps.

He answered yes, before adding there was a small conflict with Geordie Cheryl’s loyalties.

“I mean Cheryl’s not really that massively into football but… he’s going to have a tough little choice on his hands at some point because you’re going to have to disappoint someone,” he said.

There were claims yesterday that Liam has consulted lawyers over money and care of Bear if the pair should split.

Liam has an estimated fortune of £54million and Cheryl is thought to be worth around £20million. They are not married.

A source close to Liam said: “The crux of the problem is that Liam has to be away a lot. Cheryl has always understood he would have to work hard and be absent but the reality is that it’s not an easy thing to deal with.

“This relationship is hanging by a thread. They are devastated.”

The couple met when Liam auditioned for The X Factor and Cheryl was on the judging panel. She has two failed marriages behind her – to footballer Ashley Cole, who she divorced in 2010, and restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, who she divorced in 2016. The former Girls Liam and Cheryl have a son, 11-monthold Bear, but the demands of the ex-1D singer’s career have led to him being away from the family home and sources say the couple find it difficult to cope with the strain Aloud singer makes her TV comeback on a new BBC show The Greatest Dancer later this year.

A source said she was “desperate” to make the relationship with Liam work but, “it’s absolutely on the rocks”.