Liam Payne and Cheryl Cole’s relationship: Timeline from X Factor meeting to coparenting son Bear

Liam Payne has died aged 31, after falling from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The One Direction singer was in a relationship with influencer Kate Cassidy at the time of his death, while ex-fiancée Maya Henry had issued a cease and desist last week alleging that the musician continued to contact her.

Prior to meeting Cassidy in October 2022, and Henry in 2019, Liam was in a relationship with former X Factor judge Cheryl Cole.

The pair share one seven-year-old son together, Bear.

We break down the timeline of the couple’s unconventional meeting and subsequent relationship below.

2008 - Cheryl and Liam meet for the first time on the X Factor

Liam was aged 14 when he met X Factor judge Cheryl for the first time during season five of the popular programme in 2008. He sang “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra and gave the former Girls Aloud singer a wink.

“I think you’re really cute, you have charisma and you gave me a cheeky wink,” she said about her first impressions. Cheryl was married to Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole at the time.

The aspiring musician from Wolverhampton made it to the boot-camp stage of the competition before being sent home by Simon Cowell and told to come back in two years.

2010 - One Direction are formed

The singer returned to the show, the same year that Cheryl divorced her husband, Ashley. While Liam was cut as a solo artist at the time, Pussycat Doll and X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger suggested a band could be formed by bringing together solo rejects Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and of course, Liam.

2015 - Liam and Cheryl are reunited

One Direction performed at the X Factor final in December of 2015 which is reportedly where Cole and Payne met each other once again. At the time, Cheryl was married to her second husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini.

2016 - Cheryl splits from second husband amid Liam Payne rumours and couple confirm relationship

In February the couple split, amid rumours that Cole was now dating the One Direction star. Payne had shared a series of Instagram pictures dedicated to the singer, including one on International Women’s Day calling her his “favourite woman in the world”.

Despite a 10-year age gap, the pair made their relationship official in May the same year with a public appearance at the Global Gift Gala in Cannes.

2017 - Liam and Cheryl welcome their first child

On 25 March 2017, the couple announced the arrival of their first child, whom they named Bear. Cheryl shared a picture of Liam holding the newborn.

“My close friends and family know there are very few times when I’m left speechless… wow! I’m incredibly happy to welcome our new baby boy into the world,” wrote Liam in an emotive post on his Instagram page.

“It’s a moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favourite memory I have so far. I’m completely in awe of his incredible mother and how she has been the whole way through this, she’s really made my dreams come true.”

2018 - The couple break up

In July 2018, Liam announced that the couple had split in a post on X/Twitter, after rumours that the singer’s promotional work for his new solo career meant the couple weren’t able to spend as much time together.

He wrote: “Cheryl and I are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. It’s been a tough decision for us to make.

“We still have so much love for each other as a family. Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.”

2019 - 2024 New relationships and co-parenting

After his split from Cheryl, Liam began dating 23-year-old Texan model Maya Henry in 2019, becoming engaged the following year. By June 2021, the couple had decided to end their relationship, but rekindled later the same year before breaking off their engagement for a second and final time in May 2022.

Liam reportedly remained active in his son Bear’s life.

“I take my son to school one or two times a week and it’s the best thing. The relationship we [him and Cheryl] have now as friends has only grown more,” he told YouTuber Logan Paul.

“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 he’s [Bear’s] taken care of. He is all she cares about and I couldn’t ask for more.”

2024 - Liam dies suddenly in balcony fall

At the time of his death, he was in a relationship with influencer Kate Cassidy, who he met in October 2022.

Cheryl has not released a statement about the death at the time of writing.