He’s previously admitted to being scolded by his ex, Cheryl, for his loose-lipped antics. And this week, Liam Payne was in hot water yet again, when he prematurely teased the band’s much-anticipated ten-year reunion.
The 1D star, 26, revealed that bandmate Louis Tomlinson, 28, was less than impressed when he revealed the foursome had secretly reconnected to discuss plans to mark the milestone, which he later revealed Zayn Malik, 27, wouldn’t be a part of.
During an Instagram Live with Swedish DJ Alesso, Liam had confessed, “I can’t say too much. Louis told me off for revealing a bit of our plans the other day. So you’re going to have the group telling me off on the group chat.”
And pals say Liam’s latest gaffe has sparked fresh worry for Cheryl, 36, who’s concerned his upcoming press interviews to promote the reunion could put her – and their three-year-old son Bear – in the firing line once again.
The notoriously private star was left red-faced on numerous occasions during her two-and-a-half-year relationship with Liam, who revealed she felt “massive” after giving birth, interrupted her on the toilet during a live radio interview, and let slip that she’d tried to dump him over the phone early on in their romance but that he’d managed to “cling on”.
Check out: Cheryl's dating history from Ashley Cole to Liam Payne
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.
The source says, “Cheryl’s really excited for Liam as she knows how much he’s wanted this reunion. But she’s also worried that all the added publicity around it increases the risk of him slipping up and embarrassing her by revealing details about her private life – details that she’s chosen not to share on purpose, given they’re still so close and their lives are so intertwined.
“She knows he doesn’t mean any harm when he gets carried away, but she struggles at the thought of him revealing something about her that he thinks is funny but could be horribly humiliating for her. She’s scared what he’ll do next that could unintentionally hurt her.”
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In another cringeworthy past revelation, the Strip That Down singer once cheekily confessed he’d had “no complaints” from the former Girls Aloud star about the size of his penis.
And admitting Cheryl’s annoyance over his blabbermouth tendencies, he confessed in September 2017, “I do get a bit overexcited sometimes. I’ll go home and she’ll say, ‘What did you say that for?’ I’ll get a cheeky ribbing and I’ll say, ‘Ah, don’t worry about it, it’s fine. People know!’”
And pals say while the Greatest Dancer judge knows she can’t censor her ex, she’s hoping he’ll talk about his new girlfriend, model Maya Henry, 19, in interviews.
The source adds, “Cheryl’s made it clear she wants to stay under the radar and has warned Liam to be extra careful and think before he blurts out something he’ll later regret, which he’s promised to do.
“She hopes, if anything, he’ll focus on his current relationship with Maya – joking she’s passed the baton on to her now to keep him in check!”
Read even more celeb stories in Closer magazine each week.
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