Ahead of the nation going into lockdown last week Cheryl revealed she’d aired on the side of caution and kept third birthday celebrations for her son, Bear– whom she shares with ex, Liam Payne – low key.
Proving their bond is still strong, Liam, 26, praised Cheryl, 36, on Instagram, calling her a “special lady” who shows their son “all the love in the world”.
And pals say Cheryl is relieved she has someone like Liam in her life after so much animosity with her other exs.
A source says, “Liam has been an incredible support to Cheryl with everything going on, and it’s made her realise just how dedicated he is to her and Bear.
"He’s been checking in with them every day, having long Skype sessions with Bear, arranging for toys to be delivered and catching up with Cheryl to come up with fun ways to keep him entertained while they're spending more time at home.
“Liam's making such an effort that it’s been a real comfort to Cheryl. She’s definitely had a few wobbly days, but having Liam be so attentive to them both has given her a boost. He’s helping her stay strong for Bear. She’s just so grateful and relieved he is the father of her baby boy and that he's being so good in a crisis.”
The pair met in 2008 when Liam auditioned for The X-Factor as a shy 14-year-old, while Cheryl, then 26, was a glamorous judge. They became romantically linked just months after Cheryl split from second husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini in January 2016, with the pair going Instagram official in March.
After a year of dating, Cheryl gave birth to their son Bearin March 2017, but they split a year later, saying in a joint statement that it was a “tough decision” and that still had “so much love for each other as a family.” And pals close to the couple say that still rings true today.
The source adds, “Cheryl can see that Liam is more than stepping up to the plate. She’s been telling friends that she is so happy he’s the father of her child and that, no matter what happens, they'll always have a close bond and friendship. Unlike some of her other exes, she really believes Liam is a good guy.”
In contrast, Cheryl's previous long-term romances ended bitterly,including her first marriage to Ashley Cole - which broke down in 2010 amid cheating claims - and her 2016 split from Jean-Bernard for 'unreasonable behaviour'. In 2018, Cheryl revealed in an interview that Liam was 'the only man who has ever been faithful’ to her.
Liam is still believed to be dating 19-year-old girlfriend Maya Henry, whom he was pictured with in London earlier this month, despite reports that they had split. But pals say Cheryl is happy for Maya to be involved in their parenting process.
CHECK OUT Cheryl's relationship timeline
Cheryl relationship timeline - slider with cover pic
1 of 12Swipe through to see Cheryl's relationship history...
2 of 122004-2010: Ashley Cole
Not long into her rise to fame, Cheryl started dating England footballer Ashley Cole, even attending the World Cup with the likes of Victoria Beckham and Coleen Rooney. Clearly smitten, the loved-up pair got married in 2016, penning a six-figure magazine deal at the time.
3 of 122004-2010: Ashley Cole
However, things started to turn sour for the 'golden couple' when Ashley was accused of 'cheating' on Cheryl just months after their wedding. Despite forgiving the footballer, Ashley continued with his ways, with allegations that he'd been unfaithful rocking their romance yet again. Everything got too much for Chez in 2010, when she filed for divorce from Ashley.
4 of 122010-2011: Derek Hough
Cheryl first met professional dancer Derek Hough whilst the pair filmed the music video for her hit track 'Parachute', and it seems they immediately hit it off. The former X Factor judge contracted Malaria in 2010, and she later told Piers Morgan, "I owe my life to Derek... if it wasn't for him I'd be dead."
5 of 122010-2011: Derek Hough
Despite this, it seems the pair were destined to just be friends, with Derek later revealing to the media, "We dated for a while. Absolutely we are still friends, we are still very close."
6 of 122012-2013: Tre Holloway
It seems Cheryl had quite a thing for professional dancers, as her next boyfriend was the super handsome Tre Holloway. Despite first meeting each other on The X Factor in 2010, the pair didn't grow close until 2012, with Cheryl enlisting Tre's dancing skills for her 'Ghetto Baby' music video.
7 of 122012-2013: Tre Holloway
Things seemed to be getting serious between the two, especially when Tre starred in Cheryl's ITV2 documentary. However, the long-distance relationship didn't work out, with the couple calling it quits in 2013. Speaking at the time, Tre said, "She's an amazing person, an amazing woman, and we are good friends."
8 of 122014-2016: Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini
It looked like Cheryl had found 'the one' when she met French businessman Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini in 2014. Only three months into their romance, Cheryl shocked her fans by announcing she'd married JB, in a secret beach location with her close family and friends.
9 of 122014-2016: Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini
After her second marriage, rumours of tension between Cheryl and JB started to arise, with the couple being pictured looking glum on more than one occasion. 18 months after their whirlwind wedding, Cheryl and JB were granted a quickie divorce in October 2018.
10 of 122016-2018: Liam Payne
Shortly after Cheryl divorced JB, she singer shocked the showbiz world in 2016, when she confirmed she was dating One Direction singer Liam Payne. Despite the pair having a 10-year age gap, and originally meeting when Liam was just 14-years-old on The X Factor, Cheryl and Liam instantly hit it off, posting a number of adorable snaps together.
11 of 122016-2018: Liam Payne
After what was the worst kept pregnancy secret of the decade, Cheryl and Liam welcomed a baby boy into the world in March 2017, settling on the name Bear Grey Payne.
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12 of 122016-2018: Liam Payne
Split rumours started to hit the pair in early 2018, but Cheryl and Liam were quick to shut them down, putting on a very loved-up display at the 2018 BRIT Awards. However, just five months later, the couple released a joint statement admitting they've decided to separate. Despite this, the pair remain good friends and co-parent baby Bear.
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“Liam has been incredibly respectful of Cheryl’s parenting rules and lets her take the lead," says the source. "She has no problem, under normal circumstances, in Maya seeing Bear. Maya obviously makes Liam very happy and she's pleased for both of them. She is just happy things have panned out so peacefully between herself and Liam and it didn’t get ugly."
And as Closer recently reported about Cheryl’s plans to start double-dating with pals, the source says she is hoping to continue her close friendship with Liam when she finally finds herself a long-lasting relationship.
The source says, “With everything going on, Cheryl knows it'll be a while before she can get out to meet people – but that won't stop her going online and checking out potential dates. She’s feeling very optimistic about her future, and is sure her friendly relationship with Liam won’t be an issue for any man that she eventually lets into her life.”
Read more in this week's Closer magazine, out now