Cheryl Cole First Met Liam Payne When He Was 14

Far be it from anyone to criticize true love, especially when that love creates a new life, but the relationship between pop star Cheryl Cole and her baby daddy, Liam Payne of One Direction, is still somewhat scandalous.

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For those who are unaware, the 33-year-old pop star, who recently confirmed her pregnancy through a joint photo shoot with L’Oreal and The Prince’s Trust for the Daily Mirror, began secretly dating the “What Makes You Beautiful” crooner, 23, before her divorce from French restaurateur Jean Bernard Fernandez-Versini became finalized in 2016.

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The couple would go on to make their public debut last November at London’s St. James Christmas Carol Concert, where Cheryl also premiered, through a noticeable baby bump, that she was expecting. Neither Cole or Liam have spoken publicly about their coupling or their upcoming bundle of joy, but as it turns out, there might actually be a reason for that.

Check out a clip from their first-ever interaction on the U.K.’s X-Factor in 2008 where Cheryl, then 24, sits back in wonder as a 14-year-old Liam tries his best to impress Cole and her fellow X-Factor judges (including his future manager Simon Cowell) with his singing talent and a bit of flirtation, which she positively responds to.

Unfortunately for Liam, his voice didn’t win over Cheryl or the other judges that day—his 2010 retry was far more successful—but less than a decade later, he’d find another way to woo the former Girl’s Aloud member in a way that no one ever could’ve expected.

Anyone else feeling a bit cringey about that?

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