Liam Payne And Cheryl Fernandez-Versini Announce That They Have Broken Up In Statement On Twitter

Things have come to an end for Liam Payne and girlfriend Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, who is often only referred to by her first name, Cheryl. Earlier today, the couple took to Twitter to announce to fans that after two-and-a-half years of dating, they have decided to go their separate ways.

“Cheryl and I are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. It’s been a tough decision for us to make. 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.”

The tweet was posted to both Payne and Versini’s Twitter accounts just a few hours ago. So far, Payne’s 33 million plus followers have already given the post a lot of traffic with over 100,000 favorites, 29,000 retweets, and 15,000 comments from fans. Some fans commented on the post to wish the couple the best during this difficult time, while countless other fans used the opportunity to celebrate the fact that the One Direction star is single yet again.

“So sad to hear that Liam, but I love you and support all your decisions! All I want is your happiness! All the love for you, Cheryl and little bear,” one fan wrote.

“We will support you through anything, king. We’re sad to know this but your family is stronger than any circumstances. You know we have your back. Take care of yourself. We love you so so much,” another chimed in.

According to Radar Online, the split was a long time coming and insiders confirmed that recently, the couple had drifted apart. February’s BRIT Awards marked the last time that the couple were seen together in public, and furthermore, Cheryl posted photos from her 35th birthday and Liam was nowhere to be seen.

According to the BBC, the couple announced the birth of their son, Bear, in March of 2017. The then 33-year-old Cheryl penned a sweet post to share the birth of her son with followers.

“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. We are all madly in love and overwhelmingly happy with our little arrival. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers around the world. A day that now has a different meaning to me forever.”

As many know, the couple first met each other in 2008 when Payne auditioned for the X Factor. Of course, at the time, he was just a teen and they didn’t actually begin dating until 2015.