This just hit an awkward note for Liam Payne.
In a “I Hate Watching Myself” segment for Esquire, the One Direction alum did just what the title suggest by revisiting videos of himself over the years, an activity he admittedly really hates to do. While he wasn’t looking forward to it, we’d venture to guess things got a bit extra awkward when he came upon a clip of him in an X Factor audition, which featured none other than former judge and his future ex, Cheryl Cole.
While he watched his serious younger self perform “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra, he also couldn’t help but comment on the fact that Cole was there.
“Let’s address the elephant in the room,” he said. “Obviously…the future mother of my son is sat in that chair.”
He quipped, “This is now an episode of How I Met Your Mother, so that’s enough of that I think.”
In 2016, E! News confirmed the two were dating. While they never formally confirmed they were expecting a child, the pair welcomed son Bear the following year. However, by 2018, the relationship had reached its end.
“Cheryl and I are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways,” Payne tweeted at the time. “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.”
“Liam is a great dad. He’s much softer than me,” Cole told The Telegraph in 2019 before referencing their split. “But it is what it is, and I’m OK about it. When you have a baby, you are not consumed with just thinking about yourself. It’s your responsibility to keep things settled and happy, so you make the best of everything. And we have.”