Cheryl shares how grief has changed her life after devastating double tragedy

Former Girls Aloud songstress Cheryl has spoken candidly about the profound effect of grief on her outlook following a personal ordeal fraught with loss. Cheryl's world was turned upside down after the untimely death of her former partner, One Direction's Liam Payne.

Liam tragically lost his life at 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at his hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16th. This heartache wasn't the first for Cheryl as she had previously grappled with the devastating loss of her Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding in 2021.

At just 39 years old, Sarah sadly succumbed to breast cancer in September 2021, leaving behind a wave of grief among her close friends and fans. Cheryl revealed in poignant terms how her bereavement significantly shifted her perception of life.

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Opening up, she reflected: "A lot of conversations we had before she left really sparked a different perspective for me, and I'll carry that. She wasn't ready to leave and I think, 'well I'm still here', I've got the gift of life to still live, and I'll do it with her in mind. It does shift a lot of things in your own heart.", reports the Mirror.

In a heartfelt discussion with MailOnline, Cheryl added: "With the loss and our age we just appreciate and love each other so much more. We always have loved each other, obviously. But it's just different, there's a different depth to it all now."

Cheryl was moved to share a poignant tribute on Instagram featuring an image of Liam and their young son following the news of Liam's passing. Since then, she has not made any further posts on social media.

The singer first encountered Liam in 2008, when he participated in an X Factor audition and Cheryl was part of the judging panel. At that time, Liam was just 14 while Cheryl was 24.

After Simon Cowell critiqued Liam for lacking 'fun' during his audition, Cheryl responded with encouraging words: "I like you, I think you're really cute," and further complimented him by saying, "You've got charisma, you gave us that little cheeky wink! ".

Liam's return to The X Factor two years after his initial tryout saw him perform impressively; Cheryl expressed her approval, remarking: "You've definitely got it. Whatever it is, you've got it. And your voice is really powerful."

Following this successful audition, Liam was incorporated into the band One Direction and placed under Simon's mentorship. In the wake of irreconcilable differences cited in her formal documentation, Cheryl sought a divorce from her French spouse in 2016. Although her decree nisi wasn't finalised until October, she started adapting to life as an independent woman earlier in the same year.

When Liam initially shared a snap of his fresh hand tattoo, it seemed innocuous enough. Yet over time, the ink revealed itself to be a heartfelt homage to Cheryl's famed rose tattoo on her derriere. Amid rumours of rekindling romance after their individual break-ups, Liam took to Instagram in February to post an image of a rose, with the caption: "Happy Valentine's Day baby."

The gossip was confirmed in May 2016, as the duo stepped out together at the Global Gift Gala in Cannes, prompting mixed reactions about the authenticity of their relationship. A mere two days later, Liam declared their union official by setting a charming picture of them together as his Instagram profile photo.

Come 2017, the couple welcomed their son Bear into the world, only to part ways amicably a short while later. Despite their separation, Cheryl and Liam continued to co-parent effectively right up until his tragic demise.