Cheryl Cole breaks her silence and pays tribute to Liam Payne following his tragic death in Argentina

Cheryl Cole has broken her silence and shared a heartfelt tribute to her ex-partner Liam Payne following his tragic death.

The former One Direction singer, 31, died after falling 45 feet from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palmero Hotel in Argentina. Payne, who attended his bandmate Niall Horan’s tour, dated Cole for two years and the couple welcomed their son Bear Gray on March 22, 2017.

Cole expressed her sadness on Instagram, writing: “As I try to come to terms with this earth-shattering event and process my own grief during this indescribably painful time.” She also reminded the public: “Liam wasn’t just a pop star and celebrity , he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our seven-year-old son.”

In her post, Cole shared a touching photo of Payne with her son and asked for privacy. She said: “I kindly ask the public and the media to give Liam what little dignity he has left.” She also expressed her concern for Bear, noting: “One day Bear will have access to the vile reports and the media exploitation that we have seen.”

Payne’s One Direction bandmates Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry released a joint statement saying they were “completely devastated” by the news. Fans held vigils