Liam Payne's heartbreaking words to Cheryl over Bear over secret health struggle

One Direction star, Liam Payne, and Cheryl welcomed son, Bear, in 2017 before they decided to call it quits in 2018, agreeing to co-parent their only child

Liam Payne once thanked Cheryl for giving him the freedom to "get well" while the Girls Aloud star looked after their son, Bear as he battled with his mental health.

Tributes have been paid to Liam with condolences sent to Cheryl and their son Bear following his shock death in Argentina on Wednesday night.

Cheryl and Liam first met on the X Factor when Liam became one fifth of one of the biggest selling boy bands of all time. They welcomed their son in 2017 but split just before Bear's first birthday.

Liam, who had a well-documented battle with addiction, once thanked the Girls Aloud star for giving him "freedom" with Bear, explaining he needed to "get well" in order to be a good dad.

He said in an interview two years ago: "Time with Bear has been really, really great, honestly. More than anything I want to say thank you to him and his mum for giving me a little bit of freedom to go and get well in that moment because I had to."

Revealing he had spent some time at a wellness clinic in the US, during which time he underwent a 100-day detox from his phone, he told Capital FM: "There’s no point trying to be a dad when you’ve got nothing to teach. And I don’t think up until this point I really had much to say to him other than caring for him deeply and loving him very deeply, which obviously are the most important things."

Liam and Cheryl dated for two years before welcoming Bear, who Liam admitted was "growing up far too quickly". In a sentimental YouTube video, he shared: "I kind of feel I’ve got more of a grip on life now, he’s awesome. He’s growing up far too quickly, it’s a lot of fun to be around to watch him grow".

The pop stars have made a conscious effort to keep Bear out of the spotlight, with the Girls Aloud singer telling British Vogue she wanted the seven-year-old to have a "normal childhood".

Cheryl is yet to speak out on Liam's heartbreaking and shocking death. The One Direction star has died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Local police said the 31-year-old singer fell from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina’s capital, before medics confirmed his death.

According to police in Buenos Aires, officers were initially responding to reports “of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol”.

Pictures showed shocked fans gathering outside the hotel after police cordoned off the area, with forensic investigators in white protective suits and blue gloves seen entering and leaving.

Fans were photographed lighting candles and leaving flowers at the side of the road in an impromptu vigil as they paid tribute to the music star.

The Foreign Office confirmed it is in contact with authorities in Argentina “regarding reports of the death of a British man”.

But a spokesman declined to comment any further, including on the identity of the man involved.

Payne’s death comes after it was widely reported that his ex-fiancee, Maya Henry, had started legal proceedings, allegedly issuing a cease and desist letter for repeated contact.

The US model, who was engaged to Payne from August 2020 until he announced their separation in June 2021, claimed in a recent TikTok video that, since their break-up, the singer would “blow up my phone” from different numbers.

In the hours before his death, Payne reportedly posted a video on Snapchat saying: “It’s a lovely day here in Argentina.”

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads