Liam Payne and Cheryl are breaking up.
The couple, who have been together since 2016, announced the news on Sunday in a joint statement on Twitter.
Payne and Cheryl have a 1-year-old son, Bear, together.
According to The Sun, the couple actually split two weeks before the announcement.
“Cheryl and Liam worked really hard on their relationship – they had troubles earlier this year and were able to get through them,” a friend told the paper. “But they’re in different stages of their lives and, after a lot of careful thought, came to a decision that it’s best for everyone if they do go their separate ways.”
“He still cares for her and she cares for him,” the source added. “They still have an ongoing relationship together. They have a baby together.”
Earlier this year, Payne admitted that he and 35-year-old Cheryl nearly split in February.
“You know, we have our struggles — like of course, I’m not gonna sit here and say that everything’s absolutely fine and dandy, because of course, you go through different things, and that’s what a relationship is,” the 24-year-old told ES Magazine. “But we go through them together as a family and that’s the most important thing for me.”
RELATED: Liam Payne Says He Almost Split With Cheryl Last Month: ‘We Have Our Struggles’
Fans reacted to the news with shock on Twitter, but also wished both Payne and Cheryl well.
