Father’s Day is always a difficult date for those of us who have lost a loved one. This weekend will have no doubt been painful for Cheryl, who marked the annual event with her son Bear without his father, late One Direction singer Liam Payne.
Cheryl chose not to acknowledge the date online, continuing to take time away from the limelight following Liam’s devastating death on October 16, 2024, at the age of just 31.
As ever, the Fight For This Love singer’s priority remains protecting their eight-year-old son.
The Girls Aloud star has taken a step back from social media since Liam’s tragic passing. Her last post was a photograph of Liam lying in bed with baby Bear, taken weeks after his birth.
The black and white image was accompanied by a simple caption, a heartbreak emoji, as Cheryl struggled to put her pain into words.
Liam was an icon to his fans – selling over 70 million records worldwide alongside his 1D bandmates – but above all, he was a devoted father to his son Bear.
© InstagramLiam’s bond with Bear
Liam and Cheryl welcomed Bear in 2017, a year after going public with their relationship. The pair split amicably in 2018 and were committed to co-parenting their son.
In 2021, Liam praised Cheryl as “the best person to co-parent with”, telling Glamour there was “no stress involved. It’s very, very relaxed, and we spend a lot of time on FaceTime.”
He elaborated further on their dynamic during an interview on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast in 2022.
© Dave Benett/Getty Images“She is the best mum in the world. I couldn’t ask for someone better,” he enthused, adding that Bear was a blessing.
“We broke up for a reason and now she gives me full autonomy of my life and to do what I do and I know [Bear’s] taken care of. He is all she cares about and I couldn’t ask for more.”
While he didn’t get to spend as much time with him as he’d hoped, Liam said that his son Bear saw him as a “superhero.”
“I see him two times a week, three times a week sometimes. And I make sure when I see him, he has 100 per cent of my time,” he told People in 2022.
© Instagram“I like to give him those moments and it’s important, he needs that in his life. He needs his dad in his life, and I’m happy he looks at me like a superhero, and I’m hoping to keep it that way.”
Liam’s tragic death
The Wolverhampton-born singer was found dead after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Authorities responded to an emergency call at the Casa Sur Hotel, located in the leafy Palermo neighbourhood of the Argentine capital.
© InstagramHe had been staying in the city to support his former 1D bandmate, Niall Horan, on tour.
Cheryl issued a heartbreaking statement at the time of his death, writing: “As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being. Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.
“What is troubling my spirit the most is that one day Bear will have access to the abhorrent reports and media exploitation we have seen in the past few days. It is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in the future.
“I am begging you to consider what use some of these reports are serving, other than to cause further harm to everyone left behind picking up the pieces. Before you leave comments or make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them.”
© InstagramCheryl concluded: “Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last. Thank you, Cheryl.”
Since Liam died without a will, his estate and fortune, which have been valued at around £24.3 million, have been left to his son Bear, while Cheryl is acting as an administrator for the fortune.
Richard Mark Bray, a music industry lawyer, has also been given an administrator role, according to court documents.
The late star’s funeral was held on 20 November in the Home Counties, with family, friends and Cheryl among those paying tribute. The singer’s former bandmates – Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson – were all in attendance.
