Are Liam Payne and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini planning baby? Simon Cowell reveals secret

Simon Cowell has revealed that Cheryl Fernandez-Versini is ready to start a family with One Direction member Liam Payne. The media mogul's comments come after reports claimed that the couple were planning to have a baby.

During an interview with The Mirror, the 56-year-old said: "I guess that is what happens when you are with someone. Cheryl would be an amazing mum. I have seen her with my son Eric and other kids over the years and she is incredible."

"She is very good with them. I think she is in a good place in her life right now. I had dinner with her a couple of months ago with Liam and they were great. I saw her the other night and she was on great form. She stays in contact on phone and text and she is good. But I do think she misses working with me," he added.

Cowell also revealed that he was under pressure after the 33-year-old songstress left the X Factor in 2015 following her split from husband Jean-Bernard.

"It was stressful last year I think, unnecessarily stressful. When you make changes and you make a series and the public don't agree with what you have done, you just live with that for the whole series," Cowell said.

"That does put pressure on you when you are on the show. But that is what you get paid for. Cheryl probably picked up on that a bit and with the marriage breaking down at the same time, it is not ideal when you are on live TV every week. We make enough shows and we will always be working with Cheryl in some capacity. She is very loyal and she is a great girl."

"She is very closed to a lot of people, but once you get behind that she is great fun and has a great sense of humour," Cowell said, adding, "I really like her and I just want her to be happy."

Cheryl and 22-year-old Payne got together during The X Factor live stages in December 2015.