EXCLUSIVE: Cheryl Makes New Year's Resolution 'Not to Fall Apart' After Liam Payne's Grim Drugs Death and Her Stalker Nightmare
Cheryl was left broken by Liam Payne's death.
Jan. 16 2025, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
The grieving pop star and former partner of tragic Liam Payne has vowed to stay strong for their young son after enduring the twin heartaches of his death and a crazed stalker.
Tormented Cheryl Cole has told pals she is determined not to "fall apart" in 2025 as she navigates life with their son Bear, seven, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"For Cheryl, Liam’s tragic death has been a wake-up call that life is precious and we only get one shot at it, so we need to go after what matters," we are told.
Payne with former partner Cheryl, mom to his son Bear.
"His death has shaken her, but she knows she can’t fall apart, so she’s using it to give her a renewed sense of purpose to live a life of joy and love.
"She is determined that 2025 is going to be her fresh start, and that from the grief comes the opportunity to make her dreams come true and change her and Bear’s lives.
"She's also had to cope with the added pressure of being targeted by a crazed stalker in the last few months. It was a tough end to 2024, to say the least."
Targeted by a stalker and mourning Payne's tragic loss, the 'Girls Aloud' star is refusing to 'fall apart'.
The singer with UK band Girls Aloud was targeted at her home in rural England as she mourned the death of One Direction star Payne.
Cole was the victim of "fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repetitive behavior" by a man who served 30 months for manslaughter in 2012.
Daniel Bannister, 49, was first handed a three-year restraining order against the star and served four months in jail in September for an offense in July.
The restraining order meant that he could not contact Cole, enter the county of Buckinghamshire, or attend her address.
Payne's death and pal Sarah Harding's loss have deeply shaken Cole, yet she's determined to find strength for her young boy.
In December, Bannister returned to her home just weeks after Payne's funeral took place in November.
Bannister, who has no fixed address, was accused of entering Buckinghamshire on 10 December and then turning up at "an address where you knew or believed Cheryl Cole was present", revealed court documents.
He also attempted to contact Cole, 41, which he was prohibited from doing.
Bannister pleaded guilty to the three offenses in December and was sent back to prison. He is due to be sentenced on 30 January.
A renewed sense of purpose will drive Cole forward as she faces grief, motherhood and the shadow of fame's dangers.
Cole, who was married to England soccer star Ashley Cole between 2006-2010, and then to restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini from 2014-2016, started dating Payne following her second marriage breakdown.
They were together for just two years and remained close after their split for the sake of their young son.
"She’s one of the most, if not the most, important people in my life," he said in an interview after their 2018 break-up.
And referring to the highs and lows of fame, he added: "I’m lucky I have someone who understands what I’m going through."
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With Payne's passing and a stalker's terror behind her, Cole is set on turning heartbreak into a fresh start.
After Payne’s shocking death aged just 31, Cole posted on Instagram about the "indescribably painful time" she was going through and touched on her son having to face "the reality of never seeing his father again".
The tragic news came just three years after her bandmate and close friend Sarah Harding passed away from breast cancer.
Five people have now been charged in connection with his fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last October.
Three men face manslaughter charges while two have been charged with supplying drugs.
