Singer Cheryl has seen a fair few name changes over recent years – starting out as Cheryl Tweedy in her Girls Aloud days, then becoming Cheryl Cole with her marriage to footballer Ashley. During her second marriage to Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, the star adopted his surname for her third name change. Now, the Fight For This Love singer has gone back to her roots, reveals partner Liam Payne. Speaking on BBC Radio 1Xtra to promote his new single Strip That Down, the One Direction star told the show that his partner is using her maiden name once more. Liam revealed: “Her name is officially Cheryl Tweedy now, but to be honest it doesn't really bother me, we have a kid together, there's a lot more to our life.”
© Photo: Getty ImagesCheryl with partner Liam Payne
On the radio show, Liam, 23, also talked about how his romance with Cheryl first began, explaining that they were given a helping hand by One Direction’s Niall Horan and X Factor boss Simon Cowell. Liam said: “It just came about one day. Niall came up to me and said: ‘You'll never guess who's got a crush on you?’ And I was like: ‘Who?’ He's like: ‘Cheryl’. Niall hooked it up. Simon kind of half hooked it up.” Liam continued: “I was saying something about Cheryl one night in Simon's house, and he was like: ‘I think I know who is going to be the future Mrs Payne’, and I was like, ‘Who are you on about?’ He was like: ‘I'm not telling you, you'll have to wait and see’.”
READ: Liam Payne, 23, says girlfriend Cheryl, 33, can't stand jokes about their age gap
It’s eleven years since Cheryl, 33, went by her original surname Tweedy. The last time she used her maiden name was back in 2006 before she wed Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole. In 2014, Cheryl addressed questions as to why she hadn’t changed her surname back to Tweedy after her divorce from Ashley. The star told The Times: "That feels like the old me. Old, old me. That would be like going backwards another stage, and why would I do that? And it doesn't feel like his name." She added: “[It feels] like I own it. And I've built a lot of my life around it... I mean, my passport! You have to send your passport off for weeks. I don't have weeks to send my passport off." Seems like Cheryl has had a change of heart now she is with Liam and they have a baby together.
Cheryl and Liam became proud parents to their baby boy Bear on 22 March this year. Liam has been busy promoting his new single while new mum Cheryl has spent time bonding with their son at their home in Woking, Surrey. On International Mother’s Day last weekend, Liam paid a sweet tribute to Cheryl on his Instagram page, writing: "Happy Mother's Day America and to my two very special ladies mum and Cheryl I love you both very much." While Cheryl took to Twitter this week to support Liam with the release of his new single. Liam wrote: "And so it begins.... # StripThatDown is officially OUT NOW!!" Cheryl, 33, was quick to respond with a blue heart-shaped emoji, and she added: "... and it is just the beginning hope you're all enjoying # StripThatDown So proud of you babe."
