The popstar and her restaurateur husband surprised the world by marrying in a secret beach ceremony in July 2014 after reportedly only knowing each other for three months. 19 months later, Cheryl was filing for divorce due to his 'unreasonable behaviour'.

Cheryl, who was formerly married to footballer Ashley Cole and is now said to be dating One Direction's Liam Payne, revealed in court that Jean-Bernard's behaviour had caused her stress and resulted in weight loss. She is said to have complained that her husband did not like her to spend time with any other men, although there were rumoured to many other problems in the relationship.

Decree nisi granted in just 14 seconds

The decree nisi, the court order that declares that both parties are entitled to divorce, was granted in the Fernandez-Versini divorce case in the Central Family Court in a speedy 14-second court hearing recently, which Cheryl is not believed to have attended. District Judge Heather MacGregor is said to have concluded that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

Following the hearing, a spokesperson for Cheryl said:

"Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini have today obtained a decree nisi in their divorce proceedings.

"No further comment will be made and they ask for their privacy to be respected."

The speed of the hearing is not unusual, although some hearings do take longer in order for the judge to consider what may be complicated factors in the case, nor does it necessarily spell the end of the drama in the Fernandez-Versini case. Contrary to what many papers have reported, the decree nisi does not officially end the marriage and the couple are not officially divorced. The decree nisi only says that the couple are entitled to divorce.

Cheryl and Jean-Bernard must now wait six weeks before applying for a decree absolute, and at this point they will both officially be single again and free to remarry if they choose. Rumours are currently circulating that Cheryl is keen to marry new boyfriend Liam Payne, and some magazines have even suggested that the couple could be expecting a baby. The mandatory six-week delay is designed to allow the couple to discuss finances and other matters, so it is likely we could see other headlines relating to the division of assets and wealth, particularly as Cheryl is reported to have a £20 million fortune.

If you need any help understanding or navigating the divorce process, get in touch with Liverpool and Wirral family law experts Tracey Miller Family Law for a friendly chat with one of the team.