Cheryl’s traumatic divorce from hubby Jean Bernard Fernandez-Versini will be over in DAYS, leaving former X Factor star free for life as a mum with Liam Payne
After their whirlwind romance collapsed in a bitter divorce, JB will not receive a penny from the superstar and sources say she 'is relieved that terms have been agreed'
CHERYL’S traumatic divorce from Jean Bernard Fernandez-Versini will have a happy ending this week — leaving her free to start a new life as a mum.
The pair’s decree nisi will be granted at the High Court in London on Thursday after they agreed divorce terms two months ago.
And JB — who wed Cheryl, 33, after a whirlwind romance in 2014 — will not receive a penny from the former X Factor star after no pay-out was granted.
The split comes amid intense speculation that Cheryl is pregnant with boyfriend Liam Payne’s child after she was pictured with what appeared to be a baby bump.
And sources said she is “delighted” that she can finally leave the marriage behind her and move on with her new life.
One well-placed source said: “The decree nisi will be read out on Thursday.
“This has been the result of months of negotiations, but Cheryl and JB reached an agreement two months ago. And there has been no financial settlement. Lots of wild figures have been thrown about, but that is the truth, as the documents will show.
“JB is not going to be paid any money by Cheryl.
“She will not officially change her name straightaway because that takes time, and there are other things she needs to think about first.
“But she has not been using the name Fernandez-Versini since the divorce began in January.
“She has just gone by Cheryl for all work purposes.”
The source added: “After months of debate over this divorce, Cheryl is really relieved the terms have finally been agreed by both sides.
“The negotiations have been dragging on for ages, when all she has wanted to do is move on.
“She is in a great place at the moment, and is really happy with Liam, so she’s delighted that she can officially draw a line under her marriage to JB. This means she can now focus on the future.”
It is understood that Cheryl, who is divorcing JB on grounds of unreasonable behaviour, will now settle down and start a family with One Direction star Liam.
And the 23-year-old, who has been dating the former Girls Aloud singer since January, is said to be “thrilled” that the divorce is now almost over.
A second source said: “Liam was thrilled when he found out a few months ago that the divorce would be through by the end of this year.
“He and Cheryl can now start to plan their future together without this hanging over their heads.
“He has been talking to his friends about asking to marry her and hopes they can start a family fairly soon, which is something they both want.
“He has always been mature for his age, and he feels he is prepared for fatherhood. On the day he found out the divorce was close to being sorted, he changed his status on Twitter to read he was the ‘luckiest man in the world’.
“There has obviously been lots of speculation since that Cheryl is pregnant. And he has told those closest to him that if they were to have a baby, he would want all of the names on the birth certificate to read Payne.
“So they are all convinced a proposal will happen in the not-too-distant future.”
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Cheryl’s divorce from French entrepreneur JB comes almost three years after the pair first began dating.
They met in Cannes in January 2014. JB proposed just months later and they tied the knot in a romantic secret ceremony on the Caribbean island of Mustique in July.
Confirming the wedding, Cheryl wrote on Instagram: “I usually do not discuss my personal life but to stop the speculation I want to share my happy news.
“Jean-Bernard and I married on 7/7/14. We are very happy and excited to move forward with our lives together.”
But just a year later rumours were swirling that their marriage was on the rocks.
Unlike a year earlier, when JB was constantly by his wife’s side, he was noticeably absent at The X Factor recordings and live shows last year.
The pair made a rare public appearance at Ant and Dec’s 40th birthday party in October 2015, when Cheryl was pictured wearing her wedding ring. But behind the scenes, sources told how their marriage had broken down months earlier, in August.
After the split she found love again with pop star Liam.
One source said: “Cheryl and JB’s marriage was beyond saving by October, although she was still wearing the ring. It really had broken down irrevocably.
“It was a very difficult and painful time for both of them. The fraught negotiations between her and JB have been a frequent reminder of that time.
“But now that the divorce is soon to be finalised, Cheryl can put them behind her, and she and Liam can get on with their lives together. They are very excited about what the future holds.”
The source said: “JB is also keen to move on with his life.
“He is busy working on the restaurant he plans to open in London later this year and at the moment that’s taking up most of his time. But he has been dating again and is telling pals he wants to focus on the future rather than his past with Cheryl.
“There is no serious relationship on the horizon for him yet but he would like to settle down when the right person comes along.”
JB last night posted a snap of himself on Instagram with the caption: “A man of few words.”
And under another post on Friday, which showed him playing poker at a charity night, he wrote: “Just when you think you’re out . . . you get a good hand and you’re back in the lead again.”
Cheated Wag and lost loves
SEPTEMBER 2004: She starts dating England and Arsenal star Ashley Cole.
JUNE 2005: The footballer proposes and they announce engagement.
JULY 15, 2006: They wed in a lavish ceremony surrounded by her Girls Aloud bandmates and his international team-mates.
FEBRUARY 23, 2010: Cheryl announces they are separating after Ashley repeatedly cheated on her.
MAY 26, 2010: She files for divorce at London’s High Court citing “unreasonable behaviour” as the reason for their break-up. The divorce papers state that Ashley admitted being unfaithful to her with a number of other women.
SEPT 3, 2010: She is granted a decree nisi.
2010-2011: Cheryl has a brief fling with American dancer and choreographer Derek Hough after he starred in her video for Parachutes.
2012-2013: Cheryl dates another American dancer Tre Holloway, who she met while performing on The X Factor. They split in June 2013.
JANUARY 2014: Cheryl meets Frenchman Jean-Bernard in Cannes, sparking a whirlwind romance.
JULY 7, 2014: The pair wed secretly in Mustique.
JANUARY 10, 2016: We reveal they are divorcing.
OCTOBER 2016: Divorce is confirmed.
Relief for her and JB after all the stress
THE news that Cheryl’s divorce is to be finalised must be welcomed by everyone who knows her, says LAURA ARMSTRONG, Sunday Showbiz Editor.
Talks between her and JB have rumbled on for months and been a continual source of stress.
That is the last thing either needs when dealing with a marriage breakdown.
Luckily for Cheryl, she has found a shoulder she can lean on thanks to new boyfriend, One Direction star Liam Payne.
They can now focus on moving on as a couple, and potentially looking ahead to life as a trio. Let’s hope happier times lie ahead.
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