Liam Payne and Cheryl Split

Liam Payne and his girlfriend Cheryl separate

The couple – which was unveiled for the first time in 2015 with his romance – announced his separation Sunday on Twitter

"Cheryl and I are sad of # "We're going to"

Mentioning their son Bear, who celebrated his first birthday on March 22, Payne continues, "We always have so much love for each other in the family." Bear is our and we ask you to respect your privacy as we navigate together in this direction. "

At the same time, Cheryl, 35, posted a similar ad on Twitter.

The romance of Payne and Cheryl owes its origins to X Factor UK The pair first met while Cheryl was a judge on the show, and Payne a competitor, in 2008. The singer "Strip That Down" was paired with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik on the reality competition series to create a group of boys One Direction

News that Payne and the 39 former member of Girls Aloud were expecting their first child to be confirmed by PEOPLE in November 2016, Cheryl officially announcing her pregnancy in February 2017.

RELATED LINK: Liam Payne reveals how Cheryl named her Bear's son – and why it was an "internal battle"

The same month that Bear arrived, Payne opened for the first time on his love for a woman.

It's a wonderful and wonderful person and it's amazing to have someone who can understand a lot of things – someone who has made more steps than me. Said Payne to Cheryl's Rollacoaster magazine

. "She will be in my dream girl since I was younger.He is so powerful."

In an interview with The Sun in May 2017, Payne seemed to insinuate that the couple did not. Had no intention of getting married, saying to the spokesperson: "I see marriage as a thing and I am not really a religious person."

He also said The sun , " We have a baby together – you know, our love for each other can not be more serious, so that's what I suppose."

Hewitt / SilverHub / Startraks

] As breakout speculation intensified earlier this year, it seemed like the duo still supported each other. After Cheryl posted a photo of herself by posing with a sign for the "Youth Can Do It" campaign of Prince's Trust on February 20, Payne commented, "Very proud of you! find the time to do it [I’ll] never know. "

He continued:" For many years you have put all this together and put your heart in such a great cause! I hope that & # 39; One day I will be able to do the same thing. "

In March, Payne closed the rumors that the relationship was on the rocks, but admitted ES Magazine that the couple was facing" struggles ". "The funny thing was a week before we got married, and next week we're going to break up," he said of rumors that the pair had organized a "beloved show" at the 2018 BRIT Awards. last month

"And the thing is for me we are somewhere in the middle, you know, we have our struggles – of course I'm not going to sit here and say that everything is absolutely perfect, because that of course, you go through different things, and that's what a relationship is, "he continued." But we're going through them together as a family and that's the most important thing to me. "

Payne stated that he was not threatened by a difficult time in his relationship, saying," tell me a relationship in the world "

Cheryl has already told gossip saying that they had made a number for the cameras during their last appearance on Twitter

"Your stunt theories are ridiculous and a little weird. », She said in February

Cheryl was married to Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini for 19 months. Payne has separated with longtime girlfriend Sophia Smith in October 2015.