Cheryl and Liam Payne, who split after having their son Bear in 2017, have had a tough time. They've been sharing the care of Bear since they broke up, but fans haven't seen much of Liam with Bear over the past seven years.
Recently, Liam shared a photo of Bear on Instagram, which gave fans a rare peek into his family life. The picture showed Bear looking at a billboard advertising his dad's new music, wearing a yellow jacket. The caption read: "I want to be on a billboard one day, Daddy." According to an insider, after splitting from Cheryl and going through some hard times, including rehab and mental health issues, Liam seems ready for a fresh start. Want less ads? Download WalesOnline’s Premium app on Apple or Android
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"We don't see a lot of Bear on Liam's social media but I think he wants to prove to Cheryl that he's getting his life together," the source revealed. "He really wants to be a good dad and with Cheryl now going back on tour with Girls Aloud, she'll be busier than ever and won't be at home as much.", reports the Mirror.
Liam Payne is now trying to show ex Cheryl he's ready to be a big part of their son Bear's life, after previously trying to put the heartache behind him, a source reveals. Liam, who has admitted it was Bear's arrival that signalled the end of his relationship with Cheryl, had said he'd been left with "scars" after finding fame so young and "hit rock bottom" when the band broke up in 2016.
Liam and Cheryl first met when he auditioned for The X Factor at 14 and in February 2016 they confirmed they were dating. Cheryl later kept fans guessing for months before revealing her pregnancy at a L'Oreal photoshoot in which she posed in a close-fitting black dress and cradled her bump.
The couple confirmed the birth of their baby on Mother's Day 2017, posting identical Instagram posts of Liam cradling their newborn. But their love story wasn't destined to last, and Liam later revealed that they began to struggle after Bear's arrival.
Opening up on a podcast in June 2022, he said that Bear was "a lovely, lovely boy" and praised his ex, saying, "She is the best mum in the world, I couldn't ask for someone better." But Liam also confessed that for him, Bear's birth "ruined" his relationship with Cheryl "for all the right reasons". Last year, Liam from One Direction shared that he spent 100 days in a special place in Louisiana to help him with his past troubles.
He said: "I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself actually, because I kind of became somebody who I didn't really recognise any more." But now, Liam seems ready to change things for the better and be a great dad to his son Bear. He's living close to Cheryl in the UK, which means he can see Bear a lot.
"Liam is taking on more responsibilities and I think he wants to prove to Cheryl he's now going in the right direction and has really changed. He wants to be a big part in Bear's life," someone close to him said. This comes at a good time for Cheryl, as she's getting back together with Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberley Walsh for a Girls Aloud tour to remember their friend Sarah Harding.
A friend said: "Liam doesn't want to miss out on any milestones and now Cheryl needs to count on him as she'll be really busy. He's using this time as a fresh start and his family, especially his mum, are supporting him. They want him to be the best father to Bear and that's exactly what he's doing." You can keep up to date with the latest TV and showbiz news by signing up to the newsletter here.
