Liam Payne and Cheryl's relationship timeline from start to finish

With Liam Payne and Cheryl’s relationship having come to an end, it’s left fans of the celeb couple somewhat distraught.

After over two years together, the singers, who share a baby boy, Bear, are going their separate ways but plan to remain on civil terms and raise their child together.

Both ex-Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, 35, and ex-One Direction member Liam, 24, tweeted a virtualy identical statement declaring they were no longer a couple.

After a slightly different intro, both continued by saying ‘we are going our separate ways. It’s been a tough decision for us to make,’ as they shared the news to Cheryl’s 6.4 million and Liam’s 33 million followers, respectively.

‘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.’

It was in late 2015 that Cheryl and Liam went public with their relationship, which caused quite a stir with each’s fans.

However, there’s far more to their story than a few years of dating, so allow us to jog your memory.

2008

Despite only getting together two-and-a-half years ago, they’d first met a decade ago when Liam was on the X Factor and she was judging on the music show.

‘I like you, I think you’re really cute,’ Chezza commented after the 14-year-old’s first audition.

‘You’ve got charisma, you gave us that little cheeky wink!’ she joked, before Liam failed to progress in the talent show.

2010

Liam returned to X Factor for more, only this time he impressed and got through on a much improved performance. ‘You’ve definitely got it. Whatever it is, you’ve got it. And your voice is really powerful,’ Cheryl said, after he breezed through the audition phase.

2014

In May, Cheryl made headlines by marrying her second husband, Jean-Bernard Fernadez-Versini, (after ex-Chelsea player Ashely Cole) just months after meeting him. The pair had a private beach wedding and she announced the news on Instagram by showing off her new ring.

Over the summer the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral and Cheryl nominated Liam after being drenched in freezing water. She also nominated Piers Morgan and Girls Aloud bandmate Nicola Roberts, too.

2015

Towards the end of the summer, Cheryl and Jean-Bernard split up, just over a year after marrying, but the news wasn’t made public until the following January. The pair maintained the pretence that they were happily married for almost six months, as they were seen out together and leaving the X Factor studios.

Two months after that, in October, Liam broke up with his girlfriend Sophia Smith – someone he began dating in 2013 and knew since high school. The couple were together for two-and-a-half years.

Christmas 2015

Liam and Cheryl crossed paths at the X Factor where she was still judging and he was there to perform with One Direction. The pair are seen getting cosy during one of the intervals but images of them hugging don’t leak until weeks after.

2016

Cheryl filed for divorce from second hubby Jean-Benard before Liam shared an interesting Valentine’s Day Instagram message weeks later on 14 February, captioned: ‘Happy Valentine’s Day Baby’.

At first the photo and comment appeared innocuous but people linked it to Cheryl’s famous rose tattoo covering her bottom. Conspiracy theories note how Liam got a rose tattooed across his hand a month earlier, and speculation begins to grow about the pair’s romantic involvement.

Just 12 days later, the news of their relationship became public and people were a bit surprised by the romantic revelation.

March 2016

Liam shared a photo of the couple as his Instagram profile picture and the internet went into meltdown, as their romance was confirmed.

May 2016

Cheryl and Liam made their first red carpet appearance together at the Cannes Film Festival looking particularly happy in once another’s presence.

November 2016

After a public appearance, the internet is rife with rumours of Cheryl’s pregnancy after an apparent baby bump is seen when they were attending a Christmas carol event in London. Neither say anything on the matter.

By the end of the month, Cheryl had reportedly told close friends about being pregnant but nothing is officially announced until the following year.

25 March 2017

Cheryl announced the birth of their son they’d later name Bear, by captioning a photo:’ On Wednesday 22nd March Liam and I became parents to an incredibly beautiful, healthy baby boy, weighing 7lb 9 and looking like a dream. Although he still doesn’t have a name he is already stealing hearts.’

October 2017

Liam confirmed that he wouldn’t be spending a lot of time with her and his sons due to work commitments over the Christmas period due to the release of his solo album.

‘Cheryl is at home with him [Bear] now and my parents are on the way over, they’re going to spend a week with us which is really nice because I’m not going to get to see them much in December so I told them they should come back and hang out with us,’ he told the Mirror.

February 2018

Throughout the month it was rumoured the couple were struggling and on the verge or splitting up, but they made a surprise appearance at the BRIT Awards to dispel any talk of their split. During a chat with the show’s host Jack Whitehall they appeared loved up but, at the same time, also seemed to be trying too hard to convince the world.

March 2018

Liam admitted publicly that they were experiencing ‘struggles’. ‘The funniest thing was a week before we were getting married. The next week we’re splitting up,’ he said to the Evening Standard at the time.

Just days later he was spotting drinking with one of his backing dancers, which fuelled even more whispers of the couple’s demise.

30 June 2018

Despite a family holiday at the start of April, the couple eventually said that they were splitting up via their respective Twitter accounts.

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