We take you inside Cheryl’s life with “best friend” Bear
Her ‘funny, cheeky’ boy has turned her world upside down
Eighteen months after the birth of her son Bear, Cheryl officially ends her maternity leave with the release of her comeback single later this month. And while we’re intrigued to hear her new music – and are obviously hoping the lyrics tell us everything about her breakup with baby daddy Liam Payne – what we really want to know about is Cheryl’s everyday life as a mum. And insiders have been giving heat an insight into their world – and how Bear has become his mum’s best friend.
“It goes without saying that he is her whole world, her pride and joy,” says a source close to the former Girls Aloud singer, who gave birth to Bear Grey Payne in March 2017. “Cheryl loves every moment she spends with him – she enjoys everything about being a mum. Right now, Bear is growing so fast. She says she looks at him now and can’t believe there’s a proper little toddler there. All the cuteness is too much for her to cope with! He is a total angel, a gorgeous little guy, and very sweet-natured. He’s like her best friend.”
The insider adds that Cheryl knows she has been very lucky with her experience as a parent so far. “Bear’s always been a very easy baby,” we’re told. “He was always great at sleeping and eating well. She loves taking care of him and spending time with him at home playing, laughing, singing, dancing and having the best cuddles. He cracks her up, he’s so funny and really cheeky. At this stage, he’s walking, saying lots of little words and becoming so independent. Cheryl says he takes after her, because he wants
‘Bear is so happy – she knows she’s doing the right thing’
to do everything for himself.”
And given all of her success, it’s no surprise 35-year-old Cheryl is already planning out Bear’s future. We’re told, “Cheryl wants Bear to have the best of everything, and is already thinking about schools and sports and music lessons. She is really doing her homework and has been seeking advice from professionals. She grew up without much money, so she wants to make sure Bear has every opportunity in life, while also appreciating hard work and understanding how lucky he is. Cheryl loves him so much – she wants the best for him – and she is such a perfectionist. It’s one of the reasons she wants to do everything herself as a mum.”
The former X Factor judge has gone to great lengths to keep Bear out of the spotlight, and has only been pictured with him once at BFF Kimberley Walsh’s home in September. And, unlike Bear’s dad Liam, Cheryl’s hardly said a word about parenthood, aside from saying it was “challenging, that’s for sure”, and adding, “But when you’re with him, it makes none of that relevant.” And since Cheryl and Liam, 24, split in July, we’re told she is even more keen to make sure her little boy is kept out of the spotlight. Cheryl is currently in the mansion she and Liam shared in Surrey (he’s moved to a bachelor pad in London) where she and Bear spend a lot of time.
Our insider says, “Cheryl’s fiercely protective of Bear and doesn’t want to expose him to scrutiny of the public just yet. Yes, she organises play dates with her close friends, like Kimberley [Walsh] and her kids, and his cousins, but she isn’t too keen on going to playgroups and nursery classes, as she doesn’t want everyone staring. She wants Bear to feel as normal as possible and not like people are always looking at him. But she does feel guilty about it at times – she knows that, as he gets older, it’ll be important for him to interact with other children. It’s been hard for her to get the balance right, but at the moment, Bear is very happy and content, so she knows she’s doing the right thing for him.”
But after so long inside the mummy-baby bubble, things are about to change. Last week, heat told you how Cheryl wanted to sex up her image like her pop rival Rita Ora, as she releases her first music in four years. She’s due to perform her new single Love Made Me Do It on Hits Radio Live in Manchester on 25 November and will be showcasing it on The X Factor.
She’s also signed a record deal with Universal for her new album, after splitting from Polydor in March, and has signed up to be a judge on new BBC talent show The Greatest Dancer, due to air next year. All this will mean being away from Bear a lot more in the coming months –something she’s naturally anxious about. “It’ll break her heart not being around him all the time,” says the source. “She can’t help feeling like that, especially as he’s still so little. She’s never free of the mum guilt and feels like she’s being pulled in about five different directions. But luckily, she has her mum Joan, who helps out so much, and Liam obviously has time with him, too. He’s always saying he wants his son to be out and about, playing with other kids – just like he did.
“But Cheryl will always put Bear’s needs first and do what she thinks is best for him.” ■