Cheryl has certainly proven to be a true romantic over the years.
The 38-year-old entertainer and mum-of-one shot to fame on Popstars: The Rivals alongside her Girls Aloud bandmates, before going on to become a household name as a judge on The X Factor.
Her love life has been far from smooth, with two divorces and a split from a One Direction star after welcoming her son Bear.
READ MORE: Cheryl’s sex confessions – Ashley Cole romps, Liam Payne safe word and ‘orgasm’ video
As her fame grew, so did the interest in her love life – but who exactly has Cheryl dated in the past?
Here, we take a look at the Newcastle-born star’s past relationships, from her first known boyfriend to her romance with baby daddy and One Direction star Liam Payne…
Jason Mack
Before stepping into the spotlight, Cheryl dated Jason Mack between 2000 and 2002 – when he was 27 and she was 16.
However, their romance didn’t last as Jason struggled with a devastating drug addiction.
At the time, he was believed to have been spending £200 a day on cocaine and later turned to heroin and crack.
Cheryl previously sang about their relationship in her song Craziest Things.
While promoting her album A Million Lights in 2012, she shared: “I was in the worst relationship of my life.
“We swore, we fought, we did everything it says in that song. People think it’s passionate and fun, but it’s aggressive and wrong. I was depressed and poorly. I had to end it for my health.”
Jacob Thompson
(Image: Getty Images)
During her time on Popstars: The Rivals, Cheryl went on to briefly date fellow contestant Jacob Thompson.
The pair hit it off during the first round of auditions, with Jacob revealing they decided to part ways after Cheryl won the show with Girls Aloud.
Speaking to The Mirror, he explained: “It was heartbreaking but it was clear I wasn’t in her plans for the future.
“Our relationship was over and we never spoke again. Weeks afterwards, friends in the music industry told me Cheryl’s PR people had told her to ‘dump the boyfriend’.
“It doesn’t surprise me. They obviously didn’t want the band to have any distractions. It doesn’t make it any less hurtful though.”
He also claimed that Cheryl wanted to keep their romance a secret over fears producers would kick them off the show.
Ashley Cole
(Image: Getty Images)
It didn’t take long for Cheryl to find love again.
The star famously began dating footballer Ashley Cole in 2004, after moving into the same apartment block in North London.
Following their engagement in June 2005, they married at a ceremony in Wrotham Park in Hertfordshire on 15 July 2006.
But sadly, their relationship was plagued by rumours of infidelity. Two years into their marriage, it was revealed the former England and Chelsea footballer had cheated on Cheryl with hairdresser Aimee Walton during a drunken night out.
In January 2010, Ashley once again cheated on the Girls Aloud star with four more women.
Cheryl announced their separation in February 2020 and filed for a divorce on the grounds of Ashley’s “unreasonable behaviour”.
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
Speaking about their marriage on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, she previously said: “A part of me will always love Ashley.
“Looking back on it, I feel numb. We had a great marriage and a fantastic wedding day but I don’t know where it went wrong. To this day I still question that.”
Ashley isn’t the only footballer Cheryl has dated in the past, after enjoying a brief fling with former West Ham player Kieron Dyer.
In his autobiography, Kieron claims he dated the singer six months before meeting Ashley in 2004.
“She was an absolutely great girl, but my personal life was complicated at that time and I wouldn’t say we were ever really boyfriend and girlfriend,” he said in the book.
“There was a time a bit later when she wanted me to get more serious, but I couldn’t because I had got another girl pregnant. I knew that Cheryl deserved better than me, so it kind of fizzled out.”
Kieron also revealed that his pal Ashley Cole asked “a million and one questions” about Cheryl and was “desperate to get to know her”.
He also admitted that he and Ashley had been close friends before Ashley starting dating Cheryl, with the pair going on nights out together in London, saying: “we would text and talk but we were never close friends again”.
Derek Hough
(Image: PA)
Shortly after her marriage breakdown, Cheryl dated American professional Latin and ballroom dancer Derek Hough.
The pair grew close after Derek was offered the job choreographing her music video for single Parachute.
The dancer also stood by Cheryl during her battle with malaria, which she contacted during a trip with Derek to Tanzania.
Years after their relationship, Derek confirmed that the pair “dated for a while”.
“Absolutely we are still friends, we are still very close,” he added.
“I haven’t met her new boyfriend but I have heard he’s a great guy. I’m not sure she has a thing for dancers but let’s say she definitely goes for creative types.”
Tre Holloway
(Image: GC Images)
After meeting on a performance of her song Promise This, Cheryl dated dancer Tre Holloway from August 2012 to October 2013.
Speaking about her romance at the time, Cheryl said: “There is a stronger connection and a chemistry you wouldn’t have with any other dancer.
“To have that relationship is rare, to be able to have it with you and share those moments is pretty special actually.”
Sadly, the couple struggled to maintain their long distance relationship and called it quits after 14 months.
Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini
(Image: PA)
Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, a French restaurateur, became Cheryl’s second husband in July 2014.
The pair tied the knot in front of four wedding guests in a beachside ceremony in Mustique – just three months after first meeting in Cannes.
However, in January 2016, they announced they were going their separate ways.
Cheryl was granted a decree nisi ending her marriage in London, explaining that it was the Jean-Bernard’s unreasonable behaviour that led to her losing weight.
Meanwhile, the restaurateur later spoke about his marriage with Cheryl, saying: “I married someone who was famous, I was thrust into this mad world – I didn’t like it.”
Liam Payne
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Cheryl’s most recent relationship came in the form of One Direction star Liam Payne.
The pair first met in 2008, when Liam was a teenager auditioning for The X Factor.
They later began dating in February 2016, before welcoming their son Bear in March 2017.
Despite having a child together, Cheryl and Liam announced their split in 2018 after two and a half years of dating.
At the time, Liam shared: “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.”
(Image: Cheryl/Instagram)
Meanwhile, in a recent interview, Liam also opened up about the traumatic birth of their son Bear.
Speaking on Logan Paul’s podcast, he said: “His mum, she haemorrhaged quite badly giving birth, so she was asleep the whole day.
“So for the first 24 hours of his life, I was 23 with a baby in a room and I had to take care of him.”
Discussing how the birth of his son affected his and Cheryl’s relationship, Liam added: “To be honest, it ruined a relationship for me, but for all the right reasons.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
