Cheryl has reportedly been leaning on Simon Cowell for advice as she battles to save her relationship with Liam Payne.
The Fight for This Love singer and One Direction star have been experiencing tension in their relationship as 24-year-old Liam flies around the world promoting his solo career. Meanwhile the former Girls Aloud singer is at home looking after their son Bear and recording her comeback album. But with Simon keen for her to return to The X Factor, and appear on his new dance show The Greatest Dancer, the music mogul has found himself helping Cheryl with both her relationship and her career.
“Simon is like a father figure to Cheryl and he’s really worried about her right now,” an insider told Britain’s Reveal magazine. “He’s been banking on her making a stunning return to The X Factor, which, he feels, would be a ratings winner.”
Rumours have swirled since February that 34-year-old Cheryl and Liam’s relationship is under strain and their awkward red carpet appearance at The Brit Awards a few weeks later left the naysayers unconvinced.
Then in a candid interview with the ES Magazine, Liam admitted the couple was struggling.
“I’m not gonna sit here and say everything’s fine and dandy, because you go through different things, and that’s what a relationship is,” the Strip That Down singer told the publication. “This part of our relationship was never not going to happen. There was always going to be a bit of tenseness.”
Liam’s comments reportedly prompted a tearful Cheryl to call Simon, who’s in a happy relationship with Lauren Silverman, and with whom he shares four-year-old son, Eric, for advice.
“Simon doesn’t want Cheryl (on The X Factor) if she’s going to be like a deer in the headlights, so he’s trying to step in and sort things out,” added the source. “He’s seen both of them through the highs and the lows of their careers, and wants them to fix their problems so that everyone can move on and get to work.”
