Liam Payne had Simon Cowell to thank for his relationship with Cheryl after the star revealed it was the X Factor judge who set the pair up.
Speaking to Ant Middleton in a resurfaced clip from their TV special Straight Talking in 2019, the singer confessed it was Simon who set the pair up after Liam joked to the music mogul that he thought the Girls Aloud star was ‘hot.’
The One Direction star began dating Cheryl in 2016 and their son Bear was born the following year before the pair split in July 2018.
Explaining how the couple got together Liam revealed he was round for dinner at Simon’s house and he teased: ‘Well I think I know who the next Mrs Payne is going to be.’
A few weeks later Liam was in a bar when his bandmate Niall Horan came in and confessed: ‘Cheryl has got a crush on you.’
Liam Payne praised matchmaker Simon Cowell for setting him up with Cheryl in sweet 2019 video – as boss’s ‘devastation’ over his death revealed (Liam and Cheryl pictured in 2018)
Speaking in a resurfaced clip from 2019, the singer confessed it was Simon who set the pair up after Liam joked to the music mogul that he thought the Girls Aloud star was ‘hot’
Explaining how the couple got together Liam revealed he was round for dinner at Simon’s house and he teased: ‘Well I think I know who the next Mrs Payne is going to be’ (a grab from the video)
The Irish member of the group had been in Simon’s dressing room with Cheryl and a group of others and when Simon said Liam’s name she had apparently gone ‘bright red and left the room.’
Confirming how their relationship then blossomed Liam added: ‘So I just hit her up and when I came back from America we just hung out a bunch of times and it just went from there.’
Ant then joked: ‘So basically Simon Cowell was the matchmaker?’
Paying Cheryl a sweet compliment despite the couple no longer being together he added: ‘Basically I won X Factor more than anyone.’
Ant then probed: ‘Perhaps a Cheryl and Liam comeback?’ as Liam replied: ‘I don’t know about that, if she plays her cards right’.
He then joked: ‘I am going to get a slap for all this when I get home.’
Cheryl and Liam went public with their romance in February 2016 after they started dating following her divorce from Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini.
The couple went their separate ways in July 2018 following a two and a half year romance but remained amicable co-parents to their son Bear, now seven, who they keep out of the public eye.
Paying Cheryl a sweet compliment despite the couple no longer being together as he added: ‘Basically I won X Factor more than anyone’
Ant then probed: ‘Perhaps a Cheryl and Liam comeback?’ as Liam replied: ‘I don’t know about that, if she plays her cards right’
The One Direction star began dating Cheryl in 2016 and their son Bear was born the following year before the pair split in July 2018
The couple went their separate ways in July 2018 following a two and a half year romance but remained amicable co-parents to their son Bear, seven, who they keep out of the public eye
Up until his death, Liam had been in a relationship with Kate Cassidy , whom he started dating in October 2022.
Following the news of Liam’s death Simon has paused Britain’s Got Talent auditions and is said to be ‘utterly shocked and devastated’ by the tragedy.
Recording is set to pick back up on Saturday with Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, KSI and Bruno on the panel while the mourning mogul grieves the popstar’s death.
‘This news has hit Simon incredibly hard – he is utterly shocked and devastated,’ a source told The Sun.
A spokesperson for Freemantle UK, the programme’s producer announced they were halting auditions for the Britain’s Got Talent yesterday.
Their statement read: ‘Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions. Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him.’
An insider told DailyMail.com: ‘Simon is gutted with the Liam news.
‘Simon has a son that he loves more than anything and in essence the boys from One Direction were his first set of sons, he spent so much time with them, and he loves all of them.
‘This is a tragedy, and he has so many emotions going through him at this time.’
Footage of the resurfaced clip comes after Simon found himself in the firing line from former X Factor contestants, Katie Waissel and Rebecca Ferguson who criticised the ‘exploitation and profiteering of young stars’.
Up until his death, Liam had been in a relationship with Kate Cassidy , whom he started dating in October 2022
Following the news of Liam’s death Simon has paused Britain’s Got Talent auditions and is said to be ‘utterly shocked and devastated’ by the tragedy (pictured 2013)
Katie Waissel, who auditioned alongside Liam on the 2010 series of X Factor, name-checked the Simon in two statements, accusing music bosses of focusing on ‘profits rather than people’ (pictured 2010)
Rebecca Ferguson, who also appeared on X Factor in 2010 alongside Liam, has previously shared her views that the music industry is hiding ‘awful human rights abuses’
Simon was faced with backlash as Katie, who auditioned alongside Liam on the 2010 series of X Factor, name-checked the music mogul in two statements in which she accused music bosses of focusing on ‘profits rather than people’.
Taking to Twitter to reveal her heartbreak she wrote: ‘My heart is completely torn to shreds right now, I am at an absolute loss for words.
‘If Simon Cowell dare put a statement out on the heart wrenching, tragic loss of my dear and darling friend Liam, he would be a fool. We all know the truth… and I’ll be sure it all comes out.
She later released a long statement as she turned her focus to her views on the state of the music industry.
Writing that Liam’s death ‘serves as a painful reminder of the systemic neglect that persists in the industry’ she insisted: ‘the focus remained on profits rather than the people.’
Meanwhile Rebecca Ferguson, who also appeared on X Factor in 2010 alongside Liam, reflected how she first met Liam at Euston station as they shared a taxi to the X Factor the singer-songwriter penned: ‘If he hadn’t jumped on that train and jumped in that taxi I believe he would be alive today.
‘I’ve spoken for years about the exploitation and profiteering of young stars and the effects – many of us are still living with the aftermath and the PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder].’
