Liam Payne and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini's date night at casino

Romance is on the cards for One Direction star Liam Payne and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini as the pair enjoyed date night at a London casino.

The trip to Crockfords, an exclusive members' only establishment on Saturday (05Mar16) was the first time the pair have been seen on a public date since reports emerged the pop stars were now a couple.

Now the pair appear ready to take their blossoming love public, with a visit to the luxurious casino, founded in 1828 in London's wealthy Mayfair district.

The One Direction star, 22, who is 10 years Cheryl's junior was every bit the gentleman as he helped his date out of their car and into the gambling venue.

"Liam made sure she got out of the car and into the venue safely," an onlooker told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper. "He was doting on her and they looked like any other couple on a date night."

The romance with Liam, confirmed last month (Feb16) after Liam posted an intimate picture of the pair on Instagram.com, is the latest episode in Cheryl's complicated love-life.

In January this year (16), the former Girls Aloud singer filed for divorce from husband Jean-Bernard Versini after their 18-month marriage was dogged by rumours of strife. The marriage was Cheryl's second, her first - a four-year union to football star Ashley Cole - ended in 2010.

Jean-Bernard has allegedly been left devastated by his estranged wife's new romantic entanglement, with British newspaper The Sun reporting he feels "humiliated" by the relationship which he slammed as a "stunt".

Liam and Cheryl's first encounter came when the Steal My Girl singer was just 14 and auditioning for U.K. talent show The X Factor, on which she was a judge, in 2008.

Two years later the TV show gave Liam his big break as a member of One Direction, and the band returned to perform on the show's final last December (15), before going on hiatus.

After the boyband's performance, Liam was seen affectionately hugging Cheryl, who returned to her judging role in 2014.