Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne’s relationship is ‘strained’ as he is spending nights away from home while she looks after their baby son, a friend has claimed.
The new parents are struggling to find quality time together as they juggle their busy careers and care for their 11-month-old son, Bear, the source told MailOnline.
A source has told MailOnline that Cheryl is spending a lot of time at home on her own with Bear because she would rather stay in watching soaps on TV than go out to showbiz parties.
Concerned fans have pointed out that the couple have not been pictured together for some time and were not photographed together on Valentine’s Day.
Instead Liam posted an Instagram picture of Bear on Wednesday with the caption: ‘Happy Valentine’s Day @cherylofficial and everyone. Looks like I’ve got the big guy to compete with now.’
Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne’s relationship is ‘strained’ as he is spending nights away from home while she looks after their baby son, a friend has claimed
Cheryl and Liam are struggling to find quality time together as they juggle their busy careers and care for their 11-month-old son, Bear, the source told MailOnline
The post hid Bear’s face but focused on his personalised babygro which read: ‘Bear is Mummy’s little Valentine.’ Fans believed he had taken the picture.
Cheryl – who is living at their £5.6million country home in Surrey – did not publicly respond to his message.
A source told MailOnline: ‘Cheryl basically went into hibernation when she got pregnant and has made the decision to be a stay at home mother with no nanny and is looking after bear herself. She doesn’t like going out much as she used to.’
Fans have recently questioned why the couple have not been pictured on social media together since August last year.
Fans of the couple are concerned that they haven’t been pictured together since August
The last time they were seen in public was at The X Factor last October.
A friend Cheryl said: ‘The fact of the matter is, like most young couple’s with busy work lives and the demands of an infant they have been struggling to spend time together.
‘There are the very real strains of trying to adapt to parenthood whilst being in the spotlight and having to appear as though everything is rosy all of the time.
‘It is not real life and is not the life Cheryl and Liam are currently living as a couple.’
Cheryl has been supported by her brother Gary and his partner, who she has moved into Liam’s home in Woking.
The Fight for this Love star sparked engagement rumours by showing off a whopping diamond on her ring finger during The Prince’s Trust gala last Thursday. She has since been seen without the ring.
The source added: ‘Cheryl just wants what every woman wants. A loving, happy family and someone to grow old with.
‘There is no doubt she wants more children – but it is fair to say at the moment there is a lot of pressure on both her and Liam. Being apart isn’t helping that.’
The couple’s lack of public outings together has already puzzled fans. One tweeted: ‘Hey @LiamPayne the last (time) you posted a selfie on Instagram with Cheryl was August last year.
Could you bless us with a new one please Liam. @CherylOfficial.’ Another follower wrote: ‘@CherylOfficial hello, I miss your selfies with liam x’.
Instead of a picture of Cheryl, Liam posted this photograph of Bear on Wednesday with the caption: ‘Happy Valentine’s Day @cherylofficial and everyone. Looks like I’ve got the big guy to compete with now.’
Cheryl was recently pictured with two fans as she recorded her television comeback on the BBC’s new talent show, The Greatest Dancer
The Fight for this Love star sparked engagement rumours by showing off a whopping diamond on her ring finger during The Prince’s Trust gala last Thursday
Liam has been busy promoting his Fifty Shades movie track with Rita Ora and putting the finishing touches to his new album.
It is understood he spends much of his time with Steve Finan, head of music at his management company Doyen Global.
The ex-One Direction star took on the firm – headed by David Beckham’s right hand man Simon Oliveira – in a bid for maximum exposure.
Since then he has been criticised for a new ‘gangster image’, which has seen the star posting images of himself in gold chains, posing on jets and even draped over a statue of a lion.
Fans have taken to Twitter urging Cheryl to ‘sort Liam out’. One fan wrote: ‘@LiamPayne is so cringe @CherylOfficial sort out your man’s dess sense it’s embarrassing’.
Another tweeted: ‘Why’s @LiamPayne being all gangster it doesn’t suit him, he was better when was sweet n innocent sort him out @CherylOfficial [sic]’.
Cheryl meanwhile, has been back in the recording studio with producers Team Salut and is keen to make a return to solo music.
Liam has been blasted by fans for his bizarre ‘gangsta’ poses in photos posted on Instagram
Liam looked like he was going to kiss Rita Ora during a performance of their new duet ‘For You’ for the Fifty Shades soundtrack on the Jimmy Fallon show last month
She is also set to make her television comeback on the BBC’s new talent show, The Greatest Dancer.
The series is being produced by Simon Cowell’s company, Syco and Cheryl has been is rumoured to be making an X Factor comeback. Host Dermot O’Leary has already said: ‘Cheryl’s going to come back.’
Neither Cheryl or Liam’s representatives would comment when contacted by MailOnline.