She’s made no secret of her longing to have a second child – previously confessing she was looking into “alternative options” to give her five-year-old son, Bear, a sibling in the absence of a partner. But as Cheryl approaches her 40th birthday in June, the star admitted that her age could have dashed her baby dreams, as she revealed she’s now considering adoption to expand her family.
Opening up in a rare interview about her personal life ahead of her West End debut in Ghost Story 2:22 last week, the former Girls Aloud star – who shares Bear with her 1D star ex, Liam Payne, 29 – said, “I was so hell bent on having another because Bear was at that perfect age. Then the pandemic happened and I’m a bit older now. There’s such an age gap. I’m not so sure, honestly.”
And as the Let You singer makes her big career “comeback” with her new show, insiders say the star is coming to terms with the fact that she is older now and what that might mean for giving Bear a sibling.
A source says, “The pandemic delayed everything for Cheryl. She felt the clock was already ticking when she first started looking into sperm donors and lining up appointments with specialists. Now she’s had to face the reality that she is getting older and that’s something she’s been getting her head around, which hasn’t been easy.
“If Cheryl could have a baby tomorrow she would. She feels torn over whether to give having another child all she’s got – whether it’s adoption or a sperm donor – or whether to let it go. All she’s ever wanted is to have a football team of kids running around, but she also knows her time is running out, so she’s been emotionally preparing herself for that.”
Cheryl – who has four siblings and once said, “I want 100 kids”, added in last week’s interview, “Maybe adoption. I just love babies and children and I’d do anything to help or have another one around, but it’s not as prevalent anymore. Also in the process of the pandemic I looked around at the world and thought this is all a bit crazy. Is it a sensible idea to bring a soul into all this madness?”
The mum-of-one has been vocal about her dreams of having a big family ever since she got engaged to her first husband, Ashley Cole, in 2005, with the then fresh-faced 22-year-old saying, “I want five kids like my mam.” But those dreams were left in tatters five years later when the heartbroken star divorced the footballer – who’s since had two children with his Italian fiancée, Sharon Canu – following cheating claims.
Over the next few years, she endured another ill-fated marriage to French restaurateur, Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, in addition to a string of other failed romances, before falling for Liam, who is now dating model Kate Cassidy. But Cheryl’s hopes of finally finding her “happily ever after” were once again dashed when she and Liam split when Bear was just 18 months old. In 2020, the single mum-of-one confessed she intended to conceive “more than one child” via a sperm donor.
Cheryl – who was 36 at the time – revealed, “If time was on my side and I was in my twenties, yeah, I would wait and consider more options, or wait for somebody I felt was right, but… You could meet somebody and for that year it feels incredible, but there is never a guarantee because there are so many variables that can happen. Life is a funny old game.”
And as she prepares to celebrate Bear’s sixth birthday in March, pals say the star is keen to explore adoption and has already been reaching out to friends for advice.
The source adds, “Cheryl has had long chats about it with close friends, including Simon Cowell, who suggested she speaks to Sinitta, who adopted her two children.”
Another good friend who knows TV presenter and actress Lisa Faulkner – who adopted her daughter Billie – has also offered to connect them so Cheryl can learn more about her experiences.
The source adds, “Right now, she’s busy focusing on her new show and regaining her confidence back in the public spotlight. If anyone knows life doesn’t always go to plan, it’s Cheryl, and she insists that whatever happens, she has all she needs with Bear and still counts herself as the luckiest girl in the world with her son by her side.”
