Hun bromance was ooit de meest besproken in Groot-Brittannië. En toen Simon Cowell in 2004 zijn nieuwe talentenjacht The X Factor lanceerde, wist hij precies wie hij aan zijn zijde wilde hebben: collega-muziekmagnaat Louis Walsh.

De twee mannen werkten al meer dan tien jaar samen, namelijk met de Ierse boybands Boyzone en Westlife.

Het paar was vaste klant in Mayfair’s restaurant Cipriani, waar ze elkaar in vertrouwen namen en hun volgende stappen beraamden tijdens intieme dinerdates.

Ja, er waren ups en downs – er waren er genoeg – en elk ervan was even prikkelbaar en kleurrijk als de vorige.

In 2006 verliet Walsh, die nu 71 is, op sensationele wijze de ITV-talentenjacht na ruzies met zowel Cowell als collega-jurylid Sharon Osbourne. Ze had hem tijdens een live-opname met water doordrenkt, en Cowell omschreef hem vervolgens als een ‘idioot’ en ‘dom’.

Walsh werd uiteindelijk teruggehaald, maar een jaar later ontsloeg Cowell hem opnieuw, dit keer om plaats te maken voor de Amerikaanse danser en choreograaf Brian Friedman, die kort werd opgeroepen voor de jury.

Binnen enkele weken hadden ze elkaar gekust en het goedgemaakt dat Walsh weer aan de jurytafel ging zitten en naar verluidt £ 1 miljoen per serie verdiende. Hij vertrok uiteindelijk in 2017, het jaar voordat de serie voorgoed eindigde.

Maar vandaag spreken de twee mannen niet. Cowell, niet langer een sociale vlinder, zou afstand hebben genomen van Walsh. Walsh zal ondertussen tegen iedereen die wil luisteren vertellen dat zijn voormalige beste vriend hem in de steek heeft gelaten.

‘Louis mag Simon niet en hij is er heel open over’, zegt een vriend. ‘Hij lijkt maar niet te begrijpen waarom Simon hem heeft geghost. Oké, dus Simon heeft geen telefoon [he famously ditched his mobile in 2018]maar dat hij geen contact meer heeft met iemand met wie hij tientallen jaren heeft samengewerkt, is vreemd.’

De vriend voegt eraan toe: ‘Louis kan hem niet te pakken krijgen, dus je kunt je voorstellen hoe zuur zijn tong is geworden. Het is vermoeiend. Simpel gezegd: het leven is te kort voor de bitterheid en narigheid en iedereen is een potentieel doelwit.’

Dat zijn ze inderdaad.

De lijst van degenen die een pak slaag van Walsh hebben gekregen, leest als een showbusiness-appèl, met Girls Aloud-zangeres Cheryl Tweedy en de meeste bands die hij door de jaren heen heeft vertegenwoordigd, inbegrepen.

Deze week was hij bij Celebrity Big Brother – waar Walsh gisteravond onthulde dat hij had geleden aan een zeldzame vorm van bloedkanker die nu is genezen – naast zijn oude aartsvijand Sharon Osbourne. In één aflevering beledigde hij voormalige X Factor-deelnemers en de Ierse tweeling, John en Edward Grimes, ook bekend als Jedward. Hij beschreef ze als ‘verachtelijk’ voordat hij opschepte dat hij ‘5 miljoen pond van hen kreeg’.

Het leidde tot een woordenoorlog met de nu 32-jarigen. Ze sloegen terug en bestempelden Walsh als een ‘kwade manipulator’ die probeerde ‘ons onze naam en ons leven te laten ondertekenen in onbetrouwbare contracten met mensen met wie hij goede vrienden was’ en ‘ons naar een kantoor dwong om meer dan £ 70.000 te betalen aan een van zijn eigen PR-werkers’. Ze beschuldigden hem er ook van een ‘koude b*****d’ te zijn die geen bloemen stuurde na de dood van hun moeder in 2019.

Dit is niet de eerste keer dat deze twee partijen elkaar beledigen. Hun paden kruisten elkaar voor het eerst in 2009 toen Walsh, destijds jurylid van X Factor, werd benoemd tot Jedward’s ‘mentor’. Zeven jaar later beschreef hij ze als ‘het meest gênante wat hem kon overkomen’.

Hoewel Groot-Brittannië erg aan de kant van Team Jedward lijkt te staan, kan ik onthullen dat sommigen vinden dat de uitbarsting van Walsh gerechtvaardigd was. Het duo was inderdaad £ 70.000 schuldig aan een in Londen gevestigd PR-bureau genaamd Hackford Jones, wat de rekening was voor twee jaar werk dat namens hen in 2010 en 2011 was verricht.

Walsh, vandaag naar verluidt £117 miljoen waard, werd ook vertegenwoordigd door de inmiddels ter ziele gegane organisatie en stond dicht bij de publicist die voor de broers zorgde.

Een medewerker van het bedrijf, dat destijds ook voor boyband One Direction werkte, zegt: ‘Louis was erg vriendelijk met de Hackford Jones [people] en hij was boos dat de jongens hun rekeningen al twee jaar niet hadden betaald.

‘Ze hadden veel werk verricht voor Jedward, die, zoals je je waarschijnlijk wel kunt voorstellen, nogal veel onderhoud vergde. Louis is woedend dat ze niet hebben betaald, dus oefende enorme druk op hen uit om dat wel te doen. Hij vond dat daar niets mis mee was.’

Een vriend van Walsh belde me deze week ook om te herhalen dat hij inderdaad £ 5 miljoen aan Jedward had verdiend, maar voor hen, niet voor hemzelf.

‘Hij nam de standaardkorting, maar dankzij Louis zijn ze miljonair geworden’, zei de vriend.

Dat weerhield de voormalige X Factor-co-sterren van Jedward er woensdag niet van om zich te verdedigen tijdens de vete.

Katie Waissel, die in 2010 op de talentenjacht verscheen, zei op sociale media: ‘Ik kan ondubbelzinnig zeggen dat je zeker niet “verachtelijk” bent, maar jullie zijn allebei absoluut het tegenovergestelde! Ik sta altijd stevig achter je in jouw hoek.’

Ze bracht ook een ongemakkelijke kwestie voor ITV opnieuw op gang – namelijk claims van ‘misbruik, manipulatie en dwang’ die naar verluidt achter de schermen plaatsvonden tijdens de hoogtijdagen van de X Factor, toen Cowell, Walsh en Sharon Osbourne aan het roer stonden.

Verschillende voormalige deelnemers, waaronder Cher Lloyd, Rebecca Ferguson en Jedward, beweren dat ze getuige waren van afschuwelijk en uitbuitend gedrag onder sommige senior executives.

Hun opmerkingen volgen op soortgelijke beschuldigingen van Matt Cardle, de winnaar van The X Factor uit 2010, die zei dat de show ‘mensen gebruikte’ en volhield dat het een ‘wonder’ was dat er als gevolg daarvan niet veel tragedies hadden plaatsgevonden. Waissel vertelde The Mail op zondag in 2021 dat ze seksueel werd misbruikt door een niet bij naam genoemd lid van het X Factor-team, terwijl Lloyd twee jaar geleden in een TikTok-video zei dat de show haar ‘uitbuitte’ door haar ‘een droom’ te verkopen. en dan haar geld afpakken’.

ITV heeft niet gereageerd op de beschuldigingen, hoewel bronnen dicht bij Cowell zeggen dat ‘hij deze mensen een carrière heeft gegeven’.

De uitbarsting van Walsh deze week heeft ‘geen enkele gunst’ verleend aan de hoop van ITV dat de beschuldigingen zouden verdwijnen.

‘Het plaatsen van Louis en Sharon in het Big Brother-huis zou de kwesties van de X Factor alleen maar weer op de voorgrond van de hoofden van mensen brengen’, zegt een bron dicht bij een groep voormalige concurrenten. ‘Ze waren smerig, smerig tegen zoveel mensen die in de ether leven, en er gebeurde van alles backstage.

‘ITV’s recreatie van deze tijd heeft veel voor de mensen teruggebracht. Er is een gevoel dat er nu meer claims uit het houtwerk zullen komen.’

Dan is er Cheryl Tweedy, een andere gezworen vijand van Walsh. Zij en haar bandleden in Girls Aloud hadden een hekel aan hem sinds de dag dat hij tot manager werd benoemd nadat ze in 2002 de ITV-talentenjacht Popstars: The Rivals hadden gewonnen. Hij had duidelijk gemaakt dat hij wilde samenwerken met de boyband van de show, One True Voice.

Het gerucht gaat dat Girls Aloud woedend was. Walsh wees namens hen de pophit Push The Button af, kort voordat deze werd overgedragen aan rivaliserende band de Sugababes, die de hit in 2005 drie weken lang op nummer één brachten. Onhandig voor beiden, Cheryl werd in 2008 jurylid bij de X Factor, waar ze elkaar regelmatig uitspugen. Walsh raakte blijkbaar geïrriteerd door Cheryls populariteit en het feit dat haar acts de show twee jaar op rij wonnen.

Tijdens hun jarenlange samenwerking vergeleek Walsh Cheryl met een pauw en beschuldigde haar ervan te geloven dat de ITV-serie ‘haar show’ was. Hij beschimpte haar zelfs in de uitzending omdat ze er ‘oranje’ uitzag.

Bij één gelegenheid in 2010 brak er naar verluidt een laaiende ruzie uit tussen het paar, waarbij een toeschouwer zei: ‘Het was echt verhit tussen Louis en Cheryl. Ze gingen er echt voor.’

Na afloop zei Walsh tegen mij: ‘Cheryl denkt dat het allemaal om haar gaat, maar dat is niet zo. Alleen omdat ze de schat van het land is, krijgt ze alle aandacht, maar eerlijk gezegd heb ik genoeg van haar. Het is niet haar show, ze maakt er gewoon deel van uit. Ze doet het arme meisjesding, maar ze is precies het tegenovergestelde.’

Vorig jaar nog probeerde Walsh Cheryl opnieuw uit, waarbij ze beweerde dat ze ‘lipsynchroniseert’ in plaats van live zingt tijdens een optreden en dat ze de X Factor niet zou winnen als ze deelnam.

Ze sloeg terug en beschreef Walsh als ‘een dwaze oude man die op zoek is naar aandacht’.

Haar opvattingen over Walsh zijn algemeen bekend in de showbusiness-industrie en ik heb mijn eigen ervaringen met de scherpe tong van Walsh. In 2007 nam hij me mee naar Westlife te kijken in de Wembley Arena, gevolgd door een uitnodiging voor champagne bij de voormalige Londense ledenclub Fifty.

Hoewel hij soms hilarisch grappig was, richtte Walsh zich op de meeste grote namen in de industrie, zelfs Westlife – letterlijk een van de aardigste bands die je kon ontmoeten.

Hij was nog steeds woedend over het feit dat Brian McFadden de band drie jaar eerder had verlaten en maakte, zelfs toen al, de draak met Cowells schijnbaar veranderende gezicht en broek met hoge taille.

Terwijl we tot in de kleine uurtjes in Soho dineerden, was hij opgetogen toen hij werd herkend en hoewel het een tijd was die ouder was dan selfies, hield hij van de aanbidding als ‘de kerel uit de X Factor’.

Ondanks dat Boyzone halverwege de jaren negentig bekendheid en fortuin verwierf, hebben sommige bandleden niet veel tijd voor Walsh.

Hij had een hele goede band met wijlen Stephen Gately, maar op Big Brother lieten fans deze week precies weten wat hij van Ronan Keating vindt toen hij hem een ​​’p****’ noemde.

In het verleden heeft Walsh hem een ​​’kleine gefabriceerde popster genoemd, die werkelijk in zijn eigen publiciteit geloofde’. Walsh reageerde op geruchten dat de Ierse hartenbreker de volgende James Bond zou kunnen worden tijdens de zoektocht naar de vervanger van Daniel Craig: ‘Hij is niet goed genoeg om James Bond te zijn. Weet je wat . . . hij zou zichzelf op de voorgrond plaatsen, dat is één ding over hem.’

Westlife beweerde ook dat hun voormalige baas hun leven tot een hel had gemaakt en voortdurend dreigde hen te vermoorden. In 2010 onthulden bandleden Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne en Brian McFadden dat de Ier hen in hun begindagen voortdurend bedreigde met de karbonade en hen ‘dik’ noemde.

Egan zei: ‘We leefden in angst voor Louis. Hij zei: ‘Je bent klaar. Ik ga je uit de band schoppen. Ik zet je op het volgende vliegtuig naar huis. Er passen maar vier mensen in een taxi, niet vijf.” ‘

Hoe nu verder voor Walsh?

Vrienden van de ster zeggen dat Walsh weliswaar ‘puur voor het geld’ Big Brother deed (naar schatting kreeg hij zo’n £250.000 betaald voor zijn tijd in huis) maar dat Walsh ook hoopt op een comeback en leiding geeft aan een spraakmakend bedrijf. band, na jarenlang een rustig leven te hebben geleid tussen Londen en Dublin.

Maar een voormalige X Factor-deelnemer is het daar absoluut niet mee eens.

‘Louis moet weer onder zijn steen kruipen en zijn mond houden, want als hij zo doorgaat, zal het in tranen eindigen. Zijn tranen.’

Charlie Sheen almost went off Two and a half Men to show off his two left feet Dancing with the stars.

During the Monday, March 4 edition of her podcast ‘Sex, lies and spray tans’ former DWTS pro Cheryl Burke Sheen’s ex-wife said Denise Richards that she has a surprising history with the actor.

“Fun fact: I danced with Charlie one day,” Burke, 39, told a shocked Richards, 53.

Sheen, 58, and Richards were married from 2002 to 2006.

“Maybe you don’t know,” Burke continued. “So he went and did the show.”

It all started when Burke randomly got a call from Dancing with the stars casting director Deena Katz during the show’s intermission.

“She said, ‘Look, we have a guy with a big name and his team wants you to coach him,’” Burke explained. “I said, ‘Are you sure?’ Because if I’m trying to convince someone to do the show, I might not be the person. Because I hate lying. I just don’t want to lie [about] how the process works.”

Essentially, Burke intended to be extremely candid about the amount of commitment required to enter the competition.

“It’s beautiful, but it’s an awful lot of work,” she said. “I’m not even going to deny that. There is a lot of press, there are a lot of interviews.”

After being told it was Sheen, who had been going through a very public struggle with substance abuse, Burke met with him secretly at the Dancing with the stars rehearsal studio.

“I taught him a few steps,” she noted. “I’ve been sober for almost six years now and I just felt really sorry for him. He seemed so cool. We had so much fun.”

But Sheen immediately became curious about it How the show would be a lot of work.

“He started asking me questions,” Burke continued. “He asked me, ‘How many interviews should we do? Should we start pushing?’ And I told him, ‘Yes, we do.’

In addition to his concerns about the media attack, Burke said Sheen was also critical of his performance on the dance floor.

“He immediately judged himself,” she told Richards. “He said, ‘I’m bad at this.’ I say, ‘No, these are just the first few steps.’ I taught him a waltz or something. To be honest, we talked more than we danced.”

Despite Sheen’s DWTS After a false start, Burke insisted he would be “a great candidate.”

Richards, however, wasn’t so convinced.

“He doesn’t like sports,” she joked. “There’s a lot of physical activity with dancing.”

After all, Richards knows what she’s talking about. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum appeared in season 8 of Dancing with the stars in 2005 together with partner Maks Chmerkovskiy. They were the second couple to be eliminated.

Even though it didn’t lead to a run at the mirrorball trophy, Burke still looked back fondly on her time with Sheen — and chuckled.

“He was just very sweet, kind and humble,” she remembers. “He was grateful. But as soon as we were done, I knew it was probably going to be a hard ‘no’.”

Cheryl and her Girls Aloud bandmates oozed glamor at the Perfect Magazine Party at Dovetale restaurant for London Fashion Week on Monday evening.

Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and the brunette beauty dressed to impress as they attended the Perfect X AMI Issue Six Launch bash.

The girl group shared sizzling snaps on their Girls Aloud Instagram page in their dazzling ensembles.

Cheryl, 40, looked glamorous in a semi-sheer black dress, with chic lace long sleeves that hid her hands.

She completed the outfit with a bright pink clutch and wore her brunette locks pulled back.

Nadine, 38, donned a strapless silver metallic dress, with a sexy thigh-high slit dress and wore gorgeous glitzy heels.

Kimberley, 42, wore a statement cut-out velvet dress with a statement bejeweled bow stitched onto the bustier.

While Nicola, 38, showed off her incredibly slim physique in an elegant silver bodycon dress.

Girls Aloud plans to hit the road in May and June 2024 to mark 21 years this month since she and the late Sarah Harding won Popstars: The Rivals.

However, the group has not recorded any new music, but simply wants to celebrate their back catalogue.

Cheryl revealed they had been discussing the plans for some time, but shelved the idea when Sarah – who died in September 2021 – was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She said in a statement: “We all started talking a few years ago about the possibility of doing something to celebrate Girls Aloud's 20th anniversary. The anniversary seemed like an obvious thing to celebrate.

'But when Sarah got sick, all priorities changed. She passed away a year before the anniversary and it just didn't feel right, it felt too soon.”

The group plans to use the tour to “celebrate” their late friend.

Cheryl added, “But now I think there's an energy there that makes it feel good. It's the right time to celebrate Sarah, it's the right time to celebrate the bond and the right time to celebrate that we can still do this 21 years later. That is a great honor in many ways.'

Kimberley said: “Over the past year we have felt this outpouring of love – obviously towards Sarah, but really towards all of us as a group.

“And I think it rekindled something in all of us.” It feels like something has changed and it feels like the right time to celebrate Sarah and the 20th anniversary that we didn't celebrate at the time.”

Nadine said: 'Girls Aloud is a band that has had such a huge impact on people's lives. We grew up with the band, but so did so many other people.

'So it feels like a shame and a shame for us not to do something again. We want to have that moment with the fans that we can all enjoy together.”

Nicola added: 'What's really encouraging is that when people ask us about reunification, it's not: “Would you ever do that?” but “When are you going to do it?” To know that we still have that love from our fans and people who watched us grow up gives us the confidence to do the tour.

“It's going to be a huge celebration of everything we've done so far. We want people to leave thinking, 'Wow, I just had one of the best nights of my life.'

Girls Aloud originally formed in 2002 on ITV's Pop Stars: The Rivals and rose to fame with twenty top ten singles and five BRIT Award nominations.

Girls Aloud took an initial hiatus in 2009 to pursue other projects before finally splitting up in 2013.

Sarah tragically passed away two years ago, aged just 39, after a battle with breast cancer.

Kimberley Walsh is currently a regular presenter on Morning Live and has been a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing and starred in several West End productions including Shrek, Elf and Big.

Nadine Coyle continues to successfully release music and tour, headlining festivals across the UK.

Nicola Roberts is known for her solo music career, songwriting, winning the first season of the Masked Singer UK in 2020 as Queen Bee, and her advocacy to successfully ban sunbeds for children under 16 in Britain.

Cheryl in particular has remained in the spotlight over the years, due to her position as a judge on the X Factor, her tempestuous love life and most recently her appearance in 2:22 A Ghost Story.

The trailer for the second season of Channel 4’s Big Boys has been released.

The hit comedy, which first aired last year, is loosely based on comedian Jack Rooke’s 2020 memoir Cheer The F**k Up, which follows his journey through grief following the death of his father Laurie and the suicide of his best friend Olly.

The first season of the show follows Jack, played by Dylan Llewellyn, and Danny, played by Jon Pointing, as they form a close friendship at Brent University following the death of the former’s father from cancer.

Big Boys explores Jack’s struggle with his sexuality, his close relationship with his mother Peggy, played by Camille Coduri, mental health and his budding friendships after leaving his family life to attend college.

The teaser for the show, which returns next month, shows Jack’s friend Corinne, played by Izuka Hoyle, asking, “Why did you try to have sex at your late father’s 60th?” before protesting dramatically as Danny laughs and pays his respects.

Viewers also see Jack’s cousin Shannon, played by Harriet Webb, heavily pregnant and reading a magazine, while exaggerated words confirm that the year is 2014.

She says: ‘I’m not going to call her Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, I can’t deal with that,’ in the wake of Cheryl Tweedy’s marriage to Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini in 2014, which ended just two years later.

Jack then continues to drool over his professor Tim, played by Robert Gilbert, and admits to Danny that he is attracted to straight men.

Danny points out, “That’s going to be a problem.”

After seeing Danny’s mental health deteriorate in the first series as his grandmother – who he lived with – dealt with worsening dementia, the trailer sees him visit his father amid the problems in his family life.

Speaking to Channel 4 last year, writer and funnyman Jack said: ‘To me it’s a silly, sweet comedy about two boys from very different ends of the ‘spectrum of masculinity’ who become best friends at university…

‘They soon discover that they actually have many things in common; they want to find themselves, have fun, and really figure out who they are, which I think you can discover when you’re newer and away from home, and from people who knew you when you were a little runny-nosed kid. ..

‘It’s about that period of reinvention, I think. And because there’s a story in the series that I’m telling all the time, you’re very aware that you’re watching a TV show that’s set in the past, but voiced from the future…

“It essentially shows viewers the dynamics of a friendship through a series of little memories. I even say out loud in the beginning that Dylan [Llewellyn] plays to me, because “if you can’t consider yourself prettier, what’s the point?!?!” Am I right?!

Speaking about how close the show is to his own story, Jack continued: ‘I would say it becomes more and more fictionalized as it develops…

“And I think that’s for two reasons. Firstly, because as a comedian and as someone who has done a lot of autobiographical work, I am so tired of talking about myself and there is nothing more narcissistic than writing a sitcom about your own life!…

“You immediately have to come to terms with the fact that you’re asking people to watch you grow up.”

“I like to think I brought enough differences to the characters: when we were on set, the actors really got to know me because I was in charge, so I was there every day, giving workshops and randomly telling them bits of backstory about their characters…

“The general consensus is that I as narrator Jack is nothing like the character Dylan plays on the show. Dylan’s Jack is very shy and anxious and doesn’t really know what to expect. And everyone said, ‘You look a lot more like… Yemi or Danny.’ So I think they’re all kind of based on me.

“And there are definitely a few lines that come from real things said to me. Especially Danny [Jon Pointing]which is based on three or four of my friends in one…

‘But I’ve tried to give myself the challenge of creating something that is loosely based on truth, but ultimately a world and creation in itself. Otherwise it is too narcissistic; it is too much’.

Cheryl shared a glimpse into her 40th celebration after spending the weekend at Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk.

The singer took to Instagram on Monday to upload a video montage of her festivities, including some rare clips of her son Bear, six.

Cheryl was joined by her mother Joan, EastEnders actor and 2:22 A Ghost story co-star Jake Wood, 50, and her Girls Aloud bandmates; Nicola Roberts, 37, Nadine Coyle, 38, and Kimberley Walsh, 41.

Kimberley brought along her husband Justin Scott and their three sons Bobby, Cole and Nate.

Cheryl uploaded a sweet video of Bear hugging Joan after the party tried to throw an axe.

In another, Bear was dressed in a suit as he watched the fire with Kimberley’s oldest son Bobby, eight, ahead of Cheryl’s birthday dinner.

Another music video showed the group all heading out with Cheryl’s sausage dog, with Bear following in a Spiderman costume.

Cheryl welcomed Bear in 2017 with her now ex-boyfriend Liam Payne, 29.

Cheryl and Liam originally met on The X Factor, but their romance started in 2016 before splitting in 2018.

Reflecting on her birthday celebrations, the singer wrote on Instagram, “As my 40th party comes to a close and a new era begins, I wanted to wish all my fellow 83 babies the happiest of happy birthdays.

“I wish you inner peace, lots of love, joy and happiness, we survived the turbulence!

“They say life begins at 40 and I think I believe them, thank you @wildernessreserve for the best birthday weekend I could have wished for.”

The star eschewed a big party as she celebrated her 40th birthday with a luxury glamping getaway and ‘fire party’ at the posh reserve in Suffolk – where prices start from £1,299 per night for a three-bedroom holiday home.

Cheryl and her friends roasted marshmallows and were treated to a champagne bar in the woods.

The mother of one child was also greeted by a jeep filled to the brim with luxury essentials, including fluffy white robes and drinks on ice.

According to the website, Wilderness Reserve offers “peace and tranquility” on its sprawling property.

Describe Fire Feast as: ‘Dine in a remote forest among the ancient treetops with one of our most magical dining experiences yet’.

‘Our team will guide you along the leafy paths deeper and deeper into the forest until the smell of roast meat, fish and vegetables fills the air – as the clearing comes into view, an immaculately laid table of white linen and fresh flowers awaits while the bar wait will have your welcome drink ready’.

Teamwork makes the dream work! although Cheryl Cole And Liam Payne‘s romance didn’t pan out, they’ve remained devoted co-parents to their son, Bear.

The former Girls Aloud performer and Payne began dating in February 2015, almost two years before Cole confirmed her pregnancy.

“My close friends and family know I’m rarely speechless… wow!” the One Direction alum captioned an Instagram photo with his newborn son in March 2017. “I am incredibly happy to welcome our new baby boy into the world, it is a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favorite memory I have so far. I am completely in awe of his incredible mother and how she has endured this all the way, she has truly made my dreams come true. We haven’t given him a name yet, but he’s already conquering hearts, including mine. I feel very blessed. Happy Mother’s Day everyone!”

After being together for more than two years, the couple announced their separation in July 2018.

“Cheryl and I are sad to announce we are going our separate ways,” the “Strip That Down” crooner tweeted at the time. “It has been a difficult 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 this together.”

Since then, the natives of England have continued to co-parent and marvel at Bear’s many milestones along the way.

“Sometimes he tries his mom out a little bit and I’m like, ‘Bear, stop it,'” Payne shared exclusively. Us weekly in May 2019, noting that he and the first x factor judge was “very lucky” with a good little one. “He just wouldn’t listen to me today. … He just wants to silence me with his hand. He says, ‘Give me a minute. I’m busy.'”

He continued: “My mom brought all my old toys home, and then one day Cheryl came to my house and she said, ‘Oh, he plays with this red car all the time. It was yours.’ I was like, ‘Is it a Jaguar?’ And it was my favorite car when I was [young]. So he’s literally a little bit me.”

In addition to raising Bear, the “Bedroom Floor” musician eventually moved on Maya Henryengaged in August 2020. After a brief split in June 2021, the couple reconciled in October. Us later confirmed in May 2022 that they broke up for good amid pictures of Payne getting cozy with another woman.

“I love all the fans so much, but please stop sending me these pictures of my fiancé wrapped around another woman,” the Texas native wrote via Instagram at the time. “This isn’t me and it’s hard enough knowing this happened without seeing it. Enough now.”

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Scroll below for more honest quotes from Cole and Payne about co-parenting:

She’s no stranger to dealing with a commotion at the stage door after her successful run in 2:22 A Ghost Story.

But Cheryl’s attempts to go incognito after attending Pillowman’s press night at the Duke Of York Theater was ignored Wednesday.

The singer, 39, did not star in the production, but came along to support Lily Allen – who had previously worked on Ghost Story like her.

Still, Chery’s performance at the event was somewhat surprising given her longstanding feud with Lily.

The pair first started feuding in 2006 when Lily dropped the name Cheryl on the B-side of her debut single Smile.

Cheryl didn’t react well to the track and when chef Gordon Ramsay asked about Lily on his show, The F Word, the singer called Lily a “chick with ad***”

Lily then reacted strongly when she wrote a scathing open letter to Cheryl on her Myspace page.

She wrote, “Cheryl, if you’re reading this, I may not be as pretty as you, but at least I write and SING my own songs without the help of autotune.”

“I must say that taking your clothes off, dancing sexy and marrying a rich football player must be very satisfying, your mother must be so proud, you stupid bastard.”

Five years later, Lily reignited the feud when she referenced Cheryl’s 2003 assault conviction on Twitter, leading Cheryl to unfollow her.

Speaking to French football magazine SoFoot, Lily said: “She’s just ab**ch. She represents everything I hate. She’s stupid, superficial and as ugly on the outside as she is on the inside.’

But in 2018, Lily finally apologized to Cheryl, citing the reason behind their 12-year feud over her own sexual frustrations and jealousy over her success.

Reflecting on the rivalry in her book My Thoughts Exactly, she wrote, “I was frustrated, wrestling with my own issues around sexuality.

“I had never had an orgasm before, and then there were these gorgeous girls — my peers, peers, so to speak, and colleagues — who took their clothes off with wild abandon and were loved and rewarded. I couldn’t handle it.

“Sorry Cheryl, I was mad because I hadn’t come yet, it was ridiculous. I laughed at Cheryl for insulting me after I challenged her.”

The Sheezus hitmaker added that she resented Cheryl for her success with Girls Aloud and regretted writing Cheryl’s mom “must be so proud you stupid son of a bitch” for Cheryl “marrying a rich football player,” noting that the tweet “was such a terrible thing to say”.

Now that the pair had finally buried the hatchet, Cheryl looked buoyant after seeing Lily perform at press night.

Despite putting on sunglasses to leave the theater, Cheryl was instantly recognized by her fans, who ran for autographs and selfies.

Happy to help, the Crazy Stupid Love hitmaker made sure everyone got what they wanted before hitting the road with fellow Ghost Story star Jake Wood.

The former Girls Aloud star looked incredible for her rare event appearance as she donned a nice white cardigan and matching pants.

She paired her look with a black shoulder bag with a gold chain and opted for comfortable trainers.

The beauty wore her dark brown locks pinned back with pretty tendrils around her face while opting for natural makeup.

Cheryl looked cheerful as she beamed for the cameras in her fashionable ensemble.

She looked cheerful after supporting Lily, who has returned to the stage in Martin McDonagh’s play.

She stars as Katurian in the 2003 revival of the play, which follows the fiction writer as she is imprisoned by a totalitarian state.

Lily is the first woman to play the Katurian, after David Tennant played the main character in the original 2003 Olivier Award-winning play.

Speaking about the decision to cast a woman in the role, Lily told The Telegraph: I think it will add an extra layer of horror because we’re not used to seeing women get beat up.

“It will be shocking, in that sense. I also feel that men don’t necessarily get the same c**p for their artistic output as women do.’

The Pillowman follows Katurian as she is brutally interrogated by the authorities after a spate of murders bears similarities to her short stories.

The critically acclaimed play, directed by Matthew Dunster, also stars Daniel Millar and Rebecca Lee.

The production runs at the Duke of York Theater until September 2, and the highly anticipated opening night on Friday has already sold out.