In an emotional interview prior to his tragic death, 's ex, , described the star as a "great dad" to their son Bear and opened up on the pair's split.

The former Girls Aloud star's emotional 2019 interview has taken on a haunting significance in light of Payne's tragic passing last month.

Payne died aged 31 in Argentina after falling from a hotel balcony. But before his untimely death, Cheryl spoke warmly about their relationship and the love he had for their young son.

Despite their split, the mum-of-one, 41, had nothing but praise for Payne's role as a father, calling him a "great dad" and admitting he was the softer parent.

"Liam is a great dad. He's much softer than me," she shared, painting a picture of a devoted father who doted on Bear during an interview with The Telegraph.

She described how Bear had his dad wrapped around his little finger, while she took on the stricter parenting role.

"I'm the strict one; Liam isn't. I'll be the one saying 'just one square of chocolate,' but Bear is so good. If I get cross with him he puts his little hands on my face and looks into my eyes to see if I'm deadly serious or a tiny bit cross, and it melts my heart," she recalled.

Cheryl and Liam's relationship, which began with a fair share of public scrutiny due to their 10-year age gap, ended a year after Bear was born.

In the interview, Cheryl, who divorced twice prior to her relationshop with Liam, hinted that the breakup wasn't solely her decision, responding to a question about why they split by saying: "Who says it was me?"

She kept details vague, but made it clear they were determined to co-parent peacefully. Comparing their breakup to a "conscious uncoupling," Cheryl explained: "If that means there's no screaming and shouting, and you both still manage to get on because you have a baby, then yes."

Although their romantic relationship ended, Cheryl emphasised that they remained committed to giving Bear a happy, stable life.

"When you have a baby, you are not consumed with just thinking about yourself. It's your responsibility to keep things settled and happy, so you make the best of everything. And we have," she said, sharing that they worked hard to maintain a positive co-parenting arrangement for Bear's sake.

Cheryl said that motherhood transformed her and she admitted that Bear's birth brought a sense of fulfilment she had long been searching for.

"Everything changed for me from the moment Bear was born. My old brain came out of my head, and all my worries, anxieties, and feelings of emptiness went, and a new brain replaced it," she said.

Reflecting on her past relationships and struggles, Cheryl added: "Money, fame, success should have made me feel that but they never did... I was always angry at myself."