As the shock following Liam Payne’s tragic and untimely death at just 31 continues to devastate his family, friends and fans alike, there’s no doubt that his ex Cheryl will have struggled since the terrible news broke.
And while she navigates her own unimaginable grief after what she has described as an ‘earth-shattering event’ and stays close to her and Liam’s seven-year-old son Bear, sources now tell Closer how Simon Cowell has reached out to pledge his support and has promised to be an anchor for both of them.
The insider says, ‘Simon was distraught and devastated when he heard the news about Liam. He immediately halted Britain’s Got Talent filming and rushed home. The first person he called was Cheryl.
‘Simon and Cheryl have been friends for over 20 years and she knows she can put her trust in him. And his recent tribute to Liam showed just how much he genuinely cared about him.
‘Going forward, Simon will do whatever he can for Cheryl. He wants to support her and Bear through this awful time.’
The former One Direction singer and solo artist – who had a mixture of different drugs in his system at the time of his death – reportedly fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he had recently watched former band mate Niall Horan perform.
A few days after his death, Cheryl posted a statement where she said she was going through ‘an undescribably painful time’ and was heartbroken that her son ‘now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again’.
And the source adds that nobody understands better than music mogul and former X Factor boss Simon that the level of fame reached by Liam as part of One Direction can come at a high price.
Now, they say the dad-of-one – who shares Eric, 10, with fiancée Lauren Silverman – is desperately trying his best to protect Bear.
They add, ‘Today, all he wants is to look after Cheryl and to ensure she can do the best for Bear. As a dad himself, Simon’s first priority is to ensure Bear is protected, loved and looked after. In a few years’ time, he and Cheryl fear that Bear will be able to access the internet and may be able to see terrible images of his dad and read about his rumoured addiction issues and personal demons.’
Cheryl, 41, first joined Simon, 65, on The X Factor in 2008 – fatefully the same year that a fresh-faced Liam, then just 14, auditioned as a male solo artist, before returning two years later to become one-fifth of what would become pop juggernaut One Direction.
Cheryl and Liam later reunited when the band performed at The X Factor final in 2015, before going public with their romance in May 2016 – the same year One Direction announced they were taking an extended hiatus.
They welcomed Bear in 2017, with Cheryl posting a sweet picture of Liam cradling their newborn, before splitting in 2018. Cheryl has remained single since, while Liam went on to date and get engaged to Maya Henry. More recently, he had been dating American influencer Kate Cassidy, who he had promised to marry in a touching note written shortly before his death.
And now the source says that while he has always been the first one Cheryl turns to in times of trouble, Simon is feeling devastated that he hadn’t been able to help Liam.
Last week, Simon’s brother, Tony Cowell, revealed how Liam had reached out to Simon and visited his house in the Cotswolds, where Bear played with Eric, as recently as a few months ago.
The insider now adds, ‘On the last, sad meeting between Simon and Liam at Simon’s house in the Cotswolds, they talked for hours about the early days of One Direction and Liam’s love for Cheryl – who Simon helped set him up with.
‘At that time, Simon was aware Liam was struggling. He appeared lost and confused about his future. It was obvious to Simon that he was reaching out, looking for help.
‘Simon was prepared to step in and support his solo career. Now, he just wants to do everything he can for Cheryl and Bear.’