Cheryl has shared a statement following the shocking death of her former partner, Liam Payne, who died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires at the age of 31.
The Girls Aloud singer was in a relationship with the former One Direction star between 2016 and 2018. The pair welcomed a son, Bear, in 2017.
Alongside a black-and-white photo of Liam in bed with their son, who was just a baby at the time, Cheryl said: "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.
© Karwai Tang"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."
Cheryl 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."
Cheryl and Liam first met on the set of The X-Factor in 2008, when the Call My Name singer sat on the judging panel and the former boyband star first auditioned for the talent show, before later returning in 2010.
© Photo: Getty ImagesTheir romance is said to have begun in 2015 when Liam returned to the show with One Direction. The pair went public with their relationship in 2016, making their red carpet debut at Eva Longoria's Global Gift Gala in Paris in May.
© JAB PromotionsThe following year, in March 2017, the couple welcomed their first son, Bear. Cheryl penned on Instagram at the time: "On Wednesday 22nd March Liam and I became parents to an incredibly beautiful, healthy baby boy, weighing 7lb 9 and looking like a dream. Although he doesn’t have a name he is already stealing hearts. We are all madly in love and overwhelmingly happy with our little arrival."
Liam and Cheryl went their separate ways in July 2018, after which they remained amicable co-parents to their son.
In 2021, Liam praised Cheryl as "the best person to co-parent with". "No stress involved. It's very, very relaxed, and we spend a lot of time on FaceTime," he told Glamour.
© InstagramLiam expanded on their relationship as co-parents during an appearance on Logan Paul's Impaulsive podcast in 2022.
"She is the best mum in the world," he said of the Girls Aloud star. "I couldn't ask for someone better."
© NBCHe went on to say: "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."
He also described his son as "a lovely boy", adding: "We've been blessed."
