Liam Payne Clapped Back At Rumors That He's Taking A Break From His Son

Liam Payne isn't letting tabloids get the last word. The singer, who was thrust launched to worldwide fame at age 16 after being grouped with One Direction during 2008's X Factor, is no stranger to being the center of gossip, but when it comes to his family, Payne isn't going to sit back and stay silent. Liam Payne's response to rumors he's taking a break from his son, Bear, is heated.

Payne and his ex Cheryl welcomed their son in March 2017, and it didn't take long for the former boy bander to share his excitement about fatherhood. Payne announced the birth of Bear in an Instagram post that read: "My close friends and family know there are very few times when I'm left speechless... wow! I'm incredibly happy to welcome our new baby boy into the world, it's a moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favourite memory I have so far."

While Payne and Cheryl split in July 2018, they continue to co-parent Bear, and Payne wants that to be known. On Friday, Nov. 6, Payne clapped back at The Daily Mail after they published a story that claimed he was voluntarily taking some time away from his son.

"Usually I let these things slide but this is completely out of context," Payne wrote alongside a screenshot of The Daily Mail's story. "I couldn’t see my son because of the worldwide pandemic that is happening, not because I had anything wrong with me like this headline hints at."

In the interview, The Daily Mail quotes Payne saying it's "not unusual" for him to be in and out of Bear's life. According to Payne, his words — from an interview with Tings Magazine — were taken out of context.

Payne went on to clarify that "this interview was done during the first nationwide lockdown at the height of the coronavirus pandemic" and he "was discussing not being able to see my child which is a difficult time for any parent." He added: "I wish sometimes these people would do the research and give context instead of painting people a certain way for click bait."

In the full text of Payne's interview with Tings, he explained that the coronavirus pandemic caused him to be away from Bear for longer than usual, but he and Cheryl made it work. "He’s really well looked after, it’s not something that I really have to worry about," Payne said. "It’s been difficult to be away from him, for sure. I’m really excited to see him. It’s going to be really great."

Payne made it known that he is not going to sit back and let his dedication to fatherhood be questioned.