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Inside Cheryl’s family life: Dad, mum and siblings revealed
4 January 2019, 17:17
Former Girls Aloud and X Factor star Cheryl had a different upbringing in her childhood - here's everything you need to know about her large family from her mum to brothers and sisters.
Cheryl gave birth to baby son Bear in March 2017, beginning her very own little family with then-boyfriend, One Direction star Liam Payne.
And although it may not have become the tight-knit unit she was hoping for after the couple spilt in 2018, the mum-of-one remained positive.
Crediting her mum Joan Callaghan for her continuing love and support, the former Girls Aloud singer insisted that "family comes first".
But who are Cheryl's family? Here, we reveal all about the 35-year-old’s private life, from her father and her siblings to her family secrets:
Read More: Kimberley Walsh reveals hidden pressures behind Cheryl and Liam Payne split
Who is Cheryl’s mum?
Joan Callaghan, 59, is Cheryl’s mum and is a mother-of-five from Byker, a working class area in Newcastle.
She had a tough upbringing, growing up with an alcoholic father and getting pregnant aged 16 by then boyfriend Anthony Leighton.
The couple welcomed their first baby, Joseph, a few weeks before her 17th birthday and married two years later. They went on to have two more children, Gillian and Andrew, but separated soon after.
At 21, she met Garry Tweedy, a 17-year-old Geordie with whom she had two children with.
On 30th June 1983, Joan gave birth to their first child together, Cheryl Ann. Younger brother Gary was born five years later. The couple never married, but all five children took Garry’s surname. They spilt when Cheryl was 11-years-old.
Joan and her pop star daughter have always remained close, with Joan even moving in with Cheryl and ex-husband Ashley Cole just weeks after they married.
Following the infamous split, Cheryl said: “I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t trust anybody in life except my mother and my dogs. I love having her there”.
Who is Cheryl’s dad?
Garry Tweedy, a care worker aged 55, is Cheryl’s dad.
Garry is reportedly still living in Newcastle, but in 2014 was forced to move out of his Tyneside home after it was demolished.
He is believed to keep in regular touch with his famous daughter through texts and phone calls.
How many brothers and sisters does Cheryl have?
Cheryl is one of five children altogether.
She has two older brothers, Joseph and Andrew, one older sister, Gillian, and one younger brother, Gary. However not all children share the same biological father.
Cheryl’s family secrets
Growing up in Newcastle wasn't always easy for Cheryl as when she was 11, she found out that her parents had never been married, despite all five children taking the Tweedy name.
Her parents also revealed that father Garry was not the biological father to three of her siblings - a fact that was kept hidden until Joan and Garry split.
"Andrew was going so berserk that he looked like a crazy person. But however mad he looked, this was sounding horribly realistic,” revealed Cheryl.
“Mam spoke softly ‘I was 21 when we met, me and your dad’. I already had Joe, and you two,’ she looked at Gillian and Andrew now, but not at me.”
This tore the family apart, reportedly sending Andrew off the rails leaving him battling with alcohol.
