Godwin ObajeCheryl Cole’s Son Bear Celebrates First Birthday Without Late Father Liam Payne
Cheryl Cole’s son, Bear, has celebrated his first birthday without his father, Liam Payne, following the pop star’s tragic death last year.
The former One Direction singer, who died in October at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, left behind not only a music legacy but a young son now navigating life without him.
Cheryl, who shares seven-year-old Bear with the late singer, paid tribute to Liam in an emotional message, calling his passing an “earth-shattering event.” She shared a rare and touching photograph of Liam and Bear, writing:
“Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7-year-old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
Since his birth on March 22, 2017, Bear has remained largely out of the public eye, with both Cheryl and Liam choosing to protect his privacy. However, fans have occasionally been offered glimpses of the child’s upbringing, including moments of him at Cheryl’s Girls Aloud soundcheck and sweet snapshots shared by Liam during birthday celebrations.
Just months before his death, Liam had posted a poignant photo of Bear looking up at a billboard of him, captioning it:
“I want to be on a billboard one day daddy.”
Despite ending their romantic relationship shortly after Bear’s birth, Liam and Cheryl remained committed co-parents. In 2019, Liam helped Cheryl secure a family home in a Buckinghamshire village, remaining nearby to stay close to Bear. Cheryl’s mother, Joan, also played a significant role in Bear’s early life, especially while Liam’s work frequently took him abroad.
Liam, despite the distance, remained actively involved in his son’s life through regular FaceTime calls. A source told The Daily Mail:
“Liam had some very sensible people around him for a time and he adored Bear so much. He always wanted to do the right thing by him financially. It is a small consolation that Bear will never want for anything, that he will at least benefit from that.”
Bear is reportedly set to inherit a substantial portion of Liam’s estate, valued at approximately $46 million, with friends saying the singer made financial provisions for his son “some years ago.”
In August, during what would be his final birthday, Liam had spoken warmly of Bear in a video message, saying:
“Bless him. He’s getting so big now. He’s a big boy and he looks like a mini me. As if we needed any more me in the world.”
Simon Cowell, who mentored Liam during his X Factor days, also honoured the singer, saying:
“I have met your son Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in your eyes. He will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it.”
Though still young, Bear has already shown signs of following in his parents’ musical footsteps, with Cheryl once revealing his love for singing and performing. In a rare comment, she shared:
“The problem is that I want Bear to have a normal childhood… But he’s twigged that I’m famous. The other day he said, ‘How lucky am I to have famous parents?’ I said, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ He goes: ‘Yeah. But it’s pretty cool.’”
Bear’s future may be shaped by grief, but with the love of his mother, extended family, and the legacy of his father, it remains filled with possibility.
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