Liam Payne 'never stopped loving' ex-partner Cheryl and their son Bear

Liam Payne "never stopped loving" ex-partner Cheryl and his son Bear. The singer has been described a "wonderful father" to his seven-year-old son following his tragic death.

Liam died last Wednesday (October 16) aged 31, after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Argentina. The brother of his former mentor Tony Cowell has remembered the former One Direction star as a "kind and considerate" man and a "wonderful father" to Bear.

He told Closer magazine: "Our family has known Liam for so many years. I will always remember how he always made the effort to speak to our late mum, Julie, when she was in Simon's dressing room.

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"Yes, the fame took its toll on his mental health, but he remained kind and considerate and an incredible friend to so many, and a wonderful father to [his son] Bear; so generous and private."

"I also feel for Cheryl, as I know Liam never stopped loving her and Bear. It's going to be so difficult for her. I can't imagine her pain. Louis Walsh is devastated too. He told me, 'Liam had this star quality about him. I will miss him'.

"It's been moving to see this outpouring of grief around the world for Liam. I want to remember him as a beautiful young man, a normal kid trying to battle his demons."

Tony has told how Simon recently met with Liam at his Cotswolds home, where Bear enjoyed playing with the music mogul's son Eric, 10. He said: "Liam was determined to gain Simon's approval [on 'The X Factor']. He desperately wanted to please him. We are devastated. I feel for Simon, too."

"He only recently met with Liam a few months ago, when Liam took Bear to see him at his house in the Cotswolds, and Bear played with his son, Eric."

Liam was 14 years old when he first auditioned for TV talent show 'The X Factor', and he returned to the programme two years later and became part of boy band One Direction, who were assembled by Simon and then-fellow 'X Factor' judge Nicole Scherzinger.

Tony has recalled Liam being "so open and honest" when he first met him as a teenager. He said: "Liam was just 16 years old when I first met him backstage at The X Factor in 2010. I will never forget how open and honest he was. He always had a huge smile on his face. He had a quiet maturity about him, even then."

It comes after Cheryl released a heartfelt tribute to the father of her child. The Girls Aloud singer has described the death of her former partner Liam as an "earth-shattering event" in a post on Instagram. She said: "As I try to navigate this earth-shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.

"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.

"What is troubling my spirit the most is that one day Bear will have access to the abhorrent reports and media exploitation we have seen in the past two days. It is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in his future.

"I am begging you to consider what use some of these reports are serving, other than to cause further harm to everyone left behind picking up the pieces. Before you leave comments or make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them. Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last. Thank you."

Liam previously dated Cheryl from 2016 until 2018, and their son, Bear, was born in March 2017. The pair first met on The X Factor when she was a judge. In July 2018, Liam and Cheryl announced their split after two-and-a-half years together. Liam opened up about their separation in the following months, saying it was tough to break up in the public spotlight and that announcing it was “like breaking up twice”.