Liam Payne has spoken publicly for the first time about his romance with Cheryl, ahead of the birth of their baby. The 23-year-old revealed that he had had a crush on Cheryl, 33, since he was a teenager as he heaped praise on the pregnant star. Reflecting on their relationship, Liam told Rollacoaster magazine: "Obviously I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the world and she's absolutely amazing. She's been my dream girl since I was younger. She's so ace."
Liam Payne has praised pregnant partner Cheryl, describing her as his "dream girl"
The One Direction star also revealed that Cheryl has been an invaluable support as he prepares for the release of his first solo album. "She's a wonderful, wonderful person and it's amazing to have someone who can relate to so much of things – someone who's taken greater steps than me. Her solo career was amazing. She’s been in the industry for 14 years now. She fully supports me. We're super happy. It's a very personal, precious time for us. I'm still learning. I'm only 23."
STORY: Cheryl's baby - The due date, the gender and the name...
Cheryl recently showed off her baby bump in a photo shoot for L'Oréal and The Prince's Trust
Liam and Cheryl, who started dating last year, met when he competed on The X Factor in 2010 with his future One Direction bandmates. They made their red carpet debut as a couple in May at Eva Longoria's Global Gift Gala in Paris. A short while later, pregnancy rumours started to surface, and in November Cheryl debuted her baby bump when she stepped out with Liam for a Christmas carol concert. Neither Liam not Cheryl have ever officially announced her pregnancy, but the mum-to-be proudly showed off her tummy in a photo shoot for L'Oréal and The Prince's Trust last month.