Liam Payne and Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini ‘had to be separated’ after clashing in restaurant… two DAYS before One Direction star announced Cheryl split

Liam Payne ‘had to be pulled away from ex-girlfriend Cheryl’s former husband’ after their paths crossed just two days before his split from the Girls Aloud star was officially confirmed.

The One Direction star, 24, whose separation from Cheryl was announced on Sunday evening, reportedly challenged French restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, 37, to a fight during an appearance at Marylebone nightspot Chiltern Firehouse on Friday.

But employees at the restaurant, a popular destination for celebrities, stepped in amid fears the situation would escalate, according to The Sun.

A source told the publication: ‘JB asked his friend why this guy was eyeballing him and then he realised it was his ex’s fella. Liam was snarling and beckoning him over for a fight.

‘There was a lot of gesturing, goading each other and making threats across the room. Staff were worried JB would be provoked as he boxes every day.

‘But he assured them he was not looking for a fight and would leave because he was getting on an early flight.’

The source added that Fernandez-Versini remained calm throughout the episode, later telling friends that he was reluctant to start a fight in the Firehouse and claiming Liam needed “a hug, not a punch.”

It’s understood that Liam had reacted angrily to seeing the Frenchman, Cheryl’s second husband, because he believes he ‘wasn’t very nice to her’ during their fleeting 18-month marriage.

The Fight For This Love singer was handed a decree nisi ending her marriage to Fernandez-Versini at the Central Family Court in London in October 2016.

In papers filed at the court the singer cited his ‘unreasonable behaviour’ as the reason for divorce, claiming it had caused her ‘stress and weight loss’.

The pair married on Mustique in the West Indies on July 7, 2014, having known each other for about 12 weeks after meeting at the Cannes film festival.

Cheryl later sparked a relationship with Liam, who is 10-years her junior, after One Direction performed on The X Factor shortly after her divorce.

The couple announced the birth of son Bear on Mother’s Day 2017, little more than a year before rumours of a rift started to circulate.

Cheryl has since confirmed their split in a tweet addressed to her 7million Twitter followers on Sunday evening.

She wrote: ‘We are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. It’s been a tough decision for us to make. We still have so much love for each other as a family. Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.’

Moments later Liam shared the same tweet with his own followers on the micro-blogging site.

It’s understood that the One Direction star has already moved out of the lavish £5 million mansion he shared with Cheryl and Bear in leafy Surrey.

According to The Sun, the couple had mutually agreed to separate a fortnight ago following months of speculation regarding the state of their relationship.