Liam Payne has joked about the number of nappy changes he has faced as he thanked fans for their messages of support after the birth of his son.

The One Direction star, 23, and former X Factor judge Cheryl announced on Saturday that they had welcomed their first child three days earlier.

In a post on Twitter, Payne wrote: “Thank you to everyone for the love and supportive messages for myself and @CherylOfficial. It really means a lot.”

He later shared a clip of Friends character Ross Geller, played by David Schwimmer, shouting: “No! No, no!”

“When the fourth nappy happens in 5 minutes,” Payne wrote alongside the image.

Cheryl, 33, posted an Instagram photo on Saturday of Payne cradling their baby, whose name has not been revealed.

“We are all madly in love and overwhelmingly happy with our little arrival,” she wrote.

Payne shared the same photo with his Instagram followers, saying he was “speechless”.

“I’m incredibly happy to welcome our new baby boy into the world, it’s a moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favourite memory I have so far,” he said.

Messages of support have flooded in for the couple, who kept details of the pregnancy private for months.

Cheryl’s former Girls Aloud bandmate Nadine Coyle tweeted: “Congratulations @cherylofficial I am so so happy for you & your precious little boy & family! Sending you loads of love!”