Liam Payne opens up about his love for 'dream girl' Cheryl

Liam Payne has opened up about his love for Cheryl, calling her his “dream girl”.

Payne, 23, broke his silence on his relationship with the former Girls Aloud singer, who is 10 years his senior.

He described her as the “most beautiful girlfriend” and admitted to having a crush on her since he was a teenager.

Speaking to Rollacoaster magazine, he said: “This is the thing. In a non-cliché way, it’s weird waking up every day and literally living out your dream. You wake up in the most beautiful places.

“Obviously I have the most ­beautiful girlfriend in the world and she’s absolutely amazing. She’s been my dream girl since I was younger. She’s so ace.”

The former One Direction singer said Cheryl’s industry experience has been invaluable in helping him to prepare to launch his career as a solo artist.

“She is a wonderful, wonderful person and it’s amazing to have someone who can relate to so much of things — someone who’s taken greater steps than me,” he said.

“Her solo career was amazing. She’s been in the industry for 14 years now.

“She fully supports me. We’re super happy. It’s a very personal, precious time for us. I’m still ­learning. I’m only 23.”

The celebrity couple – who are expecting their first child together – first met on The X Factor in 2008 when Payne was 14-years-old. They later met in 2010 when he re-auditioned and earned himself a place in One Direction.

They started dating in February 2016 after teasing fans with a string of Instagram pictures.

Cheryl confirmed she is pregnant in February when she unveiled her baby bump after months of speculation for a campaign for The Prince's Trust and L'Oreal Paris.