Liam Payne’s ex-girlfriend, Cheryl Cole, who is also the mother of his only child, has spoken out following the former One Direction singer’s tragic death.

The Girls Aloud star and former X Factor judge describes her former partner's death as an "earth-shattering event" and says it is an "indescribably painful time".

Cheryl has described the death of her former partner Liam Payne as an ‘earth-shattering event’ in a post on Instagram. The singer died aged 31 after falling off a balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday.

Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne first met when he auditioned on The X Factor - and as the talent show's judge, the pop star complimented his 'powerful' singing voice

A look back at Cheryl and Liam Payne's relationship, from when they first met in 2008, to welcoming their son Bear and what happened when they eventually split.

Cheryl Cole, who shared a son with Liam Payne, has issued a statement on the death of the superstar. In a paragraph posted to Instagram, Cole pleaded with the media to stop with “abhorrent reports” and “media exploitation” of his death for the sake of their son Bear.

Liam Payne’s former partner Cheryl Cole, the mother of their seven-year-old son Bear, spoke out for the first time on Friday, criticizing the “abhorrent” media reports that surfaced after Payne’s death earlier this week.

Singer and former "The X Factor" judge Cheryl Cole called media outlets out for taking advantage of ex-partner Liam Payne's sudden death when they posted cropped photos of his lifeless body. "As I try to navigate this earth shattering event,