Liam Payne says Cheryl is the mum of the year

Liam Payne has hailed Cheryl as the "mum of the year" for 2017.

The 23-year-old singer and his pop star girlfriend welcomed their first child, a son called Bear, into the world in March and Liam revealed Cheryl has taken to motherhood like a natural.

Speaking to ITV’s ‘Lorraine’ at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in London on Tuesday night (06.06.17), Liam said: "She’s been amazing, she’s been literally the best mum in the world. That’s all I can ask for. And obviously she’s supported me going off and doing my thing with my career and stuff, but she literally has been the mum of the year, she’s amazing."

Liam also admitted that having recently become a dad for the first time, he has developed a new-found appreciation for mothers.

He explained: "Look after the women in your life because, honestly, what I’ve learned more than anything about being a dad is how hard it is to be a mum.

"It’s such a hard thing, she hasn’t had any help from anybody, she’s done it all herself and I think she’s truly amazing."

And Liam confessed he’s still slowly getting used to the stresses and strains of being a parent.

The ‘Strip That Down’ hitmaker said: "Every day’s a learning curve, it’s been really, really great."

Meanwhile, Liam – who started dating Cheryl in 2016 – recently revealed the couple have already discussed the possibility of having another child.

Asked about the prospect of adding to their family, Liam said: "We have spoken about this. We will see what happens … We are in a routine now and loving life. We sit round with Bear, watch old films like ‘Ritchie Rich’ and ‘Stand By Me’, have a laugh."