The Liam Payne / Cheryl love affair was hands down the most surprising news of the year (yesterday's revelation that Kimye might be going to prison comes a close second).
We at heat like to think we're clued up and eagle eyed in the world of showbiz, but we DID. NOT. SEE. THAT. COMING.
Pretty much the whole world has been keeping up with their antics (by stalking Instagram pics like Cheryl's pic of Liam and the below puppy, who is just outrageously sweet) including, it transpires, Liam's ex Danielle Peazer, who has spoken out about their relationship.
She said she wasn't shocked at all by their coupling-up (that makes one person, eh?), suggesting that "maybe he has a thing for age gaps". This is a very fair analysis, given that Danielle is five years older than the 1D hunk. You naughty boy, you, Liam.
Danielle met Liam back during his X Factor time in 2010, when he was distinctly less hunky and distinctly more of a baby. She was a 22-year-old backing dancer, and he was a 16-year-old star struck teenager with a terrible haircut. She said she was reluctant about getting involved with him at first because of the age difference, but they ended up dating for nearly two years anyway.
She's being a srsly reasonable ex-girlfriend when it came to Liam's new beau, telling The Daily Mail: "Love is love. Happiness is happiness. You just want people to be happy. They both seem happy, obviously I don't know her but I'm happy for them.
"I wasn't shocked when it came out because they're in the same industry. Maybe if he started going out with Teresa May, I'd be like 'Woah!' That would be a shock. I'm five years older than him so I know that he maybe has a thing for age gaps. I mean look at her, I'd go out with her!"
JUST IMAGINE IF HE STARTED GOING OUT WITH TERESA MAY…
…We can't get that image out of our heads now FFS.
Apaz Liam and Danielle are on rilly good terms too – she said: "He's aware of things going on in my life now and he said he's proud of me and it's nice after nearly four years of not being together that we can support each other."
Cuuuuuuuuute.
Read more: Are Cheryl and Liam pain set for a shock X Factor return?