THEY'RE DONE
Why did Cheryl and Liam Payne split, when did they break up and what have they said about their son Bear?
CHERYL recently confirmed The Sun's report that she has split from boyfriend Liam Payne.
The pair had been dating since late 2015, and raise baby son Bear together. But what caused their split, and what have the two singers said about raising their child? Let's get the lowdown...
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Why have Cheryl and Liam split
Cheryl and Liam announced their split on Sunday, July 1, 2018.
It's believed Cheryl and Liam split because of their hectic careers - and Liam's burgeoning efforts as a solo artist - had come between the pair.
A source told The Sun: “Both Cheryl and Liam have successful careers that take a lot of time, which didn’t always make things easy. There were ups and downs for a long time.”
Cheryl’s 10-year age gap over Liam, 24, is also believed to have made things increasingly difficult for the pair.
A source said in February: “There’s a big age gap between them. If they didn’t have Bear then they would have most likely split up by now.
“But they love their son. And they do care for each other so it’s now a matter of seeing if there’s a final way forward to try and make it work.”
Last year, Liam, admitted Cheryl had taken on most of the childcare duties while he was working away on new music in LA.
He said: “Obviously, she supported me going off and doing my career and stuff, so she’s been amazing.
“What I’ve learnt about being a dad is how hard it is to be a mum and she hasn’t had any help from anybody and she’s done it all herself.”
A bizarre report in the Daily Star claimed that the couple broke up after clashing over Liam's obsession with video games.
However, a representative for Cheryl told The Sun Online the claims were "not true" and "fabricated".
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When did they split?
The couple reportedly made the decision to split two weeks before they made their announcement and the One Direction heartthrob moved out of the £5million mansion they shared in Surrey.
But friends insisted the pair would remain close friends and continue to parent their together.
Cheryl and Liam had been together for two-and-a-half-years.
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What have they said about their son Bear?
Despite the split, Cheryl and Liam vowed to remain on good terms for the sake of their son.
A source said: “He still cares for her and she cares for him. They still have an ongoing relationship together. They have a baby together.
“Both Cheryl and Liam have successful careers that take a lot of time, which didn’t always make things easy. There were ups and downs for a long time.”
After being approached by The Sun, Cheryl, 35, and Liam, 24, released a statement confirming their break-up.
They posted a message on social media that read: "We are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. It's been a tough decision for us to make.
“We still have so much love for each other as a family. Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together."
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