Latest updates as Liam Payne found dead at 31: Police reveal details of One Direction star’s shocking injuries as fans line streets of Buenos Aires

Liam Payne, the singer and One Direction band member, has died in Argentina after he fell from a third floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires.

News of his death emerged late last night after police were called to the Casa Sur Hotel where Payne had been staying after he arrived in the South American country earlier this month.

Here’s everything you need to know this afternoon:

• Liam Payne was declared dead after he fell 45ft from the third floor into a courtyard at the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood in Buenos Aires.
• Argentinian media reported police were called to the hotel last night to reports of an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Authorities in South America today said Payne died instantly from multiple injuries including a fractured skull.
• Payne’s family in Wolverhampton have told MailOnline they are ‘utterly devastated’ by his death as tributes pour in from the star’s friends and prominent figures in the entertainment industry.
• The One Direction singer arrived in Argentina earlier this month with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy to attend his ex-bandmate Niall Horan’s concert and stayed on in the country after she left two days earlier.
• His death comes days after his ex-fiancée Maya Henry started legal proceedings against him with her lawyers instructed to issue a cease and desist letter following accusations he was repeatedly contacting her.

A heartbreaking photo of Liam Payne drinking mocktails in US bar Ritual Rooftop Restaurant has recently emerged in light of the devastating news of his death.

In March 2023, Liam returned to the same Charleston bar he met his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, where he asked for her number, to try out a new range of mocktails, amid his struggles with alcohol.

Upon his return the bar posted a sweet message on Instagram about his visit.

The post read: ‘So glad to have this guy back at Ritual this weekend.

‘We had an awesome night with @liampayne sampling our new mocktail menu, it’s so good to see that our nonalcoholic beverage list still keeps the party going no matter what you are drinking!’

A letter that Liam Payne wrote to his 10-year-old self for BBC Radio 1 has been reshared following his death at the age of 31.

In the letter, which was written in 2020, Payne tells himself that ‘for a while you’ll feel like giving up’ before One Direction’s success, but told himself ‘don’t, as you’re about to meet four other guys on the same track as you are’.

The moving note, which was reshared on Instagram by Radio 1 earlier today, ended by saying: ‘Give mum, dad, and all the family, a big hug from me.’

Littered with white powder and tin foil, this was said to be the scene inside Liam Payne’s hotel room after the singer fell to his death in Buenos Aires last night.

Payne was found dead by police who say they found the popstar’s medicines including clonazepam – a drug which is used to control epilepsy, involuntary muscle spasms and panic disorders.

The photos were published across the Argentinian media, including major broadsheets today and purport to show Payne’s suite at the Casa Sur hotel in Palermo.

There was a frantic call to 911 from hotel staff about ‘an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol’ who was ‘smashing up his room’ minutes before he died.

These photos inside the luxury suite, published by Argentinian magazine Clarin, appeared to confirm the troubling report about Payne’s mental state.

Read the full story here:

Liam Payne had been posing with fans just hours before his death at a hotel in Buenos Aires yesterday.

The One Direction singer was seen talking to devotees and snapping selfies outside the Casa Sur Hotel during his short stay in the city.

It was in back in 2008 when a nervous 14-year-old Liam Payne made his first bid for stardom and took his place in front of a quartet of X Factor judges singing a version of Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon.

One of those judges, alongside Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh, was Cheryl Tweedy, then 25 and a pop veteran who had herself been catapulted to fame six years earlier in ITV reality show Popstars: The Rivals.

The Newcastle-born star was one of five girls put together by Cowell to form Girls Aloud, who went on to win the contest and top the charts.

It meant that when she first crossed paths with the waistcoat-clad, mop-haired Payne, Ms Tweedy was already a bone fide star – although Payne was clearly not too overawed by her celebrity, as he pointedly gave her a cheeky wink during his performance.

Read the full story here:

BBC Radio 2 host Scott Mills said he ‘can’t bear that this is where Liam’s story has ended’ as he remembered the time he spent with the late singer over the years.

He opened his afternoon show on the station by saying:

The tragic news about Liam Payne is a really hard one to take in because I never thought we would have to say goodbye to him so soon.

I had so much fun with One Direction, as a lot of you will know, over the years and their memories will stay with me for life, and Liam was such a big part of it.

He joked that at times he felt like the sixth member of One Direction as he was with them so often during their heyday when he presented on BBC Radio 1.

Mills also recalled laughing with Payne when the singer’s father Geoff wanted a selfie with him at the One Direction movie premiere despite having met stars like David Beckham and Mariah Carey beforehand.

The presenter held back tears as he gave a special message to him, saying:

So, Geoff, I don’t know if you’re hearing this, but my heart goes out to you today and to the rest of Liam’s family, and, of course, to his little boy.

I just feel so incredibly sad about all of this. Liam, we had so much fun and you were always the kindest, most caring person to me.

Thank you for letting me be part of your ride. I will never forget it. The band were all so lovely always, but Liam was kind of the grown-up one in the group, the wise one. And I can’t bear that this is where Liam’s story has ended.

He then dedicated Story Of My Life by One Direction to Payne, his family and his fans.

Rita Ora broke down on stage in Japan last night after hearing the news of Liam Payne’s death.

The British singer struggled to finish a performance of their duet, For You, while on stage in Osaka.

During the song, a picture of the pair was projected onto the big screen behind her as she battled through the lyrics of their duet, which was released in 2018 for the film Fifty Shades Freed.

The 33-year-old later sat down on stage with her head in her hands before telling fans: ‘I can’t even sing this right now.’

X-Factor stars who performed alongside Liam Payne during the seventh series in 2010 and on other editions have today spoken of their heartbreak following his death in Buenos Aires.

Many have posted tributes on social media, while the talent show host Dermot O’Leary paid tribute on ITV’s This Morning earlier today.

Let’s take a look at what they have said:

The X Factor: ‘We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne. He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.’

Dermot O’Leary: ‘I remember him as a 14 year old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing. He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble. Sending love and prayers to his family. Dx’

Olly Murs: ‘This news is devastating, am lost for words… to see his life now end so young hits hard, I’m truly gutted and devastated.’

Rebecca Ferguson: ‘I can’t help but think of that boy who was hopeful and looking forward to his bright future ahead. If he hadn’t jumped on that train and jumped in that taxi I believe he would be alive today. I’ve spoken for years about the exploitation and profiteering of young stars and the effects – many of us are still living with the aftermath and the PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder].’

Rylan Clark: ‘Extremely sad news. V tragic and so young. RIP Liam x’

Katie Waissel: ‘My heart is completely torn to shreds right now, I am at an absolute loss for words.’

Cher Lloyd: ‘From being on the show together, visiting each other’s homes while filming, going on tour together and watching you achieve your dreams. I’ll cherish the memories made and the laughs we had. My thoughts are with you and your family and friends, with everyone who loves you. My heart is breaking for your son Bear. Rest in peace, Liam.’

Jedward, aka John and Edward Grimes, wrote: ‘RIP Liam Payne condolences to friends and family.’

Lifelong Directioner, Olivia Warburton, who is a journalist based in the West Midlands, has also reacted to Liam’s death.

I found out about the news when I logged into work early this morning. It was a very strange feeling and it took me a minute to process what I was reading before having to report on it myself, with Liam being from Wolverhampton – a city I cover.

Ms Warburton became a fan of the band when they rose to fame on The X Factor and said their Where We Are tour in 2014 was the first concert she ever attended.

I have followed One Direction since their X factor days ringing up to vote for them every week when it got to the live shows.

I was listening to their final album on my way home from work yesterday. This morning, it doesn’t feel the same hearing their music come on.

She said Payne’s music made ‘an impact’ on fans.

It was heartbreaking. It feels slightly silly saying that, considering I never met him or knew him personally, but he and his music made such an impact that this news was truly devastating.

I’m sure I echo the millions of One Direction fans across the world when I say I can’t believe it. My heart truly goes out to his family and everyone who knew him.

Another One Direction devotee has told how fans have lost ‘a big part of their childhood’ after the death of Liam Payne.

Kyra Parry, 20, who became a fan of One Direction in 2010 when she was eight years old, said Payne’s character stood out from the rest of the band.

I feel as though Liam was a huge part of this generation’s childhoods, so many people are extremely shocked and feel like a big part of their childhood has been lost,” told the PA news agency.

He was a huge talent and inspiration to many. He will be missed.

I loved how each of the guys was so different and Liam had a major star quality. He had a lot of charisma and confidence within him. He seemed to be someone who was up for anything.

The student from Stoke-on-Trent said One Direction was ‘a huge hit out of nowhere’ adding, ‘Their faces were on everything and people became obsessed’.

They were a lot of girls’ first crushes and the first band they fell in love with.

Kyra is pictured above with waxworks of the One Direction band members at Madame Tussauds in London in 2011.

As One Direction fans mourn the loss of former band member Liam Payne, some have been left in uproar over the group’s Wikipedia page.

Fans were left in disbelief after spotting the One Direction Wikipedia page had already been updated to list Liam as a ‘past member’ alongside Zayn, who left the band in 2015.

The former editor of British Vogue Edward Enninful OBE has shared a heartfelt tribute to Liam Payne in the wake of his death.

The stylist said in a post on Instagram that Liam was ‘one of the most loyal, sensitive, dynamic, funny and unique people I ever had the good fortune to meet.

A neighbour to Liam Payne’s home in Buckinghamshire has said he was ‘the most down to earth and helpful guy’, following his death.

Thomas Evans (pictured), 17, who lives in St Turners Wood Drive, Chalfont St Giles, said Mr Payne moved into Foxwood about a year and a half ago ‘to be closer to Cheryl Cole and his kid’. He added:

I want to put some positive things about him out there. There has never been any negativity from him, ever.

He has kept his private life. People respected that. He has been absolutely no trouble.

The college student said that he learnt of Mr Payne’s death in the early hours on Thursday when his sister rang him.

She called me at 1am and said, ‘Liam Payne is dead’. I was like, what? I didn’t believe it. It still doesn’t feel real.

Mr Evans added that his mother, who lives with him at the address in Turners Wood Drive, is ‘distraught’ at the news of her famous neighbour’s death.

A One Direction superfan says she’s ‘not sure how she’s going to manage to listen to their songs again’ after Liam Payne’s death.

Izzy Hawksworth, 21, has been a fan of the boyband since she was just seven, when they starred on TV show the X Factor in 2010.

Izzy, who has seen Liam live in concert three times, said:

I am in a state of shock and have been left devastated by his passing.

I’m glued to the news, it’s like I’m waiting for someone to turn around and say “we got it wrong, he’s actually alive”.

This is the first celebrity death that has affected me like this, I always knew that this would happen but I expected it to be in 30 years – not now.

Izzy said that when the news broke about the singer’s passing last night she was asleep.

She then woke up in the night, saw her phone and saw news alerts that he had died – but she originally thought it was just a ‘sick joke’.

I had woken up in the middle of the night and checked my phone to see the time, when suddenly I saw all the news alerts about his death.

But when I realised that it was actually real life and not a bad dream, I was left absolutely heartbroken

Singer Rita Ora, who performed with Liam Payne on For You – from the film Fifty Shades Freed – has reacted to the news of his death, saying it ‘breaks my heart’.

The British solo artist shared a picture of Liam resting his head on her shoulder in a touching post on X.

A heartbreaking video shows Liam Payne singing and dancing at his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert in Argentina just days before he was found dead.

The 31-year-old seemed to be in high spirits as he wrapped his arm around girlfriend Kate Cassidy’s shoulder and tenderly kissed her on the head.

He waves his arm from side to side and sings along as Kate lovingly rests her head on his shoulder.

Payne attended Horan’s gig at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires on October 2, reportedly posting to his Instagram stories beforehand that he wanted to ‘square up a couple things’ with the Irish singer.

The local Buenos Aires prosecution office, led by prosecutor Andres Esteban and secretary Maria Florencia Lavaggi, has confirmed it is leading the investigation into Liam Payne’s death.

The star was staying at the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentinian capital where he later fell to his death.

Britain’s Got Talent has cancelled auditions for the 18th season in the wake of Liam Payne’s death.

Simon Cowell – who famously formed Liam’s band One Direction – decided last minute to call off the tryouts after he discovered the shocking news.

Simon, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and KSI were due to continue filming for BGT after auditions kicked off on Tuesday at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

A spokesman for the programme’s producer, Freemantle UK, said: ‘Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions. Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him.’

Mr Cowell is yet to comment.

Radio 1 Breakfast presenter Greg James paid tribute to Liam Payne on his show today, describing the news of his death on air as a “shock” and “destabilising”.

Opening his breakfast show on Thursday, James said:

Well that is some unbearably sad news to wake up to and we’ll all be dealing with it, you’ll be dealing with it, and we’ll be led by you as we always are on live radio shows.

When the day throws something unexpected at us you’ve got to stick together, so that’s what we’ll do all morning. I don’t remember Radio 1 without One Direction and I’ve been here ages.

Listen below to the rest of his tribute:

*This article is available only to Mail+ subscribers*

When One Direction first burst onto the scene they were hailed as the new Beatles – besieged by hysterical fans and triumphant in the States, with a succession of impossibly catchy hits.

And if 1D were the Fab Four (or Five) reborn for the 21st century, Liam Payne appeared to be their George Harrison. Moody, introverted, sardonic and often uncomfortable with his fame, he was the Quiet One.

But unlike The Beatles, One Direction were a wholly manufactured boyband, a collection of teenage strangers moulded into an artificial gang for the X-Factor, essentially, a TV talent contest. Payne was not yet 17 when the show made all five instant celebrities in 2010.

More here now on the family statement released by Liam Payne’s family.

Relatives said they were ‘heartbroken’ by his death last night, adding that the former One Direction star will ‘forever live in our hearts’.

Liam Payne’s family said in a statement issued by his spokeswoman:

We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.

We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.

Downing Street offered Sir Keir Starmer’s condolences to Liam Payne’s family and friends.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said:

The Prime Minister’s sincere condolences are with Liam’s family and friends at this time.

One Direction were one of the biggest bands in history and their music had a huge impact on many millions of fans around the world.

We can now show you pictures of the growing tributes outside the hotel in Buenos Aires where Liam Payne fell to his death.

Flowers, candles and handwritten notes have been left by mourners in the hours after the One Direction’s star death was confirmed.

Rebecca Ferguson, the singer-songwriter, who took part in the same series of X-Factor as Liam Payne has recalled how she met him at London Euston station as they headed off for the talent competition.

Ferguson, who finished runner-up in 2010, used her post to call out the ‘exploitation and profiteering of young stars’ following the 31-year-old’s death.

I can’t help but think of that boy who was hopeful and looking forward to his bright future ahead. If he hadn’t jumped on that train and jumped in that taxi I believe he would be alive today.

I’ve spoken for years about the exploitation and profiteering of young stars and the effects – many of us are still living with the aftermath and the PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder].

We can now show you footage of the moment Liam Payne’s death was mentioned in Parliament.

Lucy Powell, the House of Commons leader, sent her condolences to Payne’s friends and family at the start of Business Questions earlier today.

Watch below to hear her remarks:

McFly and Busted stars have remembered Liam Payne as ‘such a nice human’ and reflected on the pressures of being in the spotlight when in a boy band.

The McBusted supergroup previously supported One Direction on tour, the group which Payne rose to fame in alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.

Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, McFly’s Danny Jones said:

It’s super sad. Such a nice human and it was amazing to know the guys. And I feel for his family, I feel for the band, feel for the boys, and I’m shocked. I’m genuinely shocked.

Busted’s Charlie Simpson, who started his musical career when he was aged 16, reflected on the pressures of being thrust into the limelight in a boy band.

It is really tough. I think that especially today with social media and the pressure that comes with it now that wasn’t around when we started, I think that makes it even tougher.

Fellow Busted bandmate Matt Willis also remembered Payne as ‘such a lovely bloke’, adding:

Music is so powerful and I think what One Direction achieved was unbelievable, so incredible. They’ve got such an amazing history of music, it’s a beautiful thing music.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has paid to Liam Payne following his death with a heartfelt post on Instagram.

He joins a host of other footballers including Jill Scott and Jack Grealish to shared their grief over the star’s passing.

Lorraine Kelly revealed she is ‘heartbroken’ and was ‘genuinely shocked’ to find out about his death as she paid tribute to the 31-year-old during her daytime show on Thursday morning.

Liam Payne twice featured at Soccer Aid, which raises funds for UNICEF – United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.

He captained England on his first appearance in 2022, before returning for the second time last year.

Ahead of the 2023 event, Payne spoke about how his son Bear had proved to be the inspiration behind his appearance.

Payne followed his former One Direction star band mates Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson in featuring at Soccer Aid, with the duo previously playing in 2016, but admitted he needed three months of training to play.

Payne captained an England team in 2022 that included the likes of Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole and Teddy Sheringham, with legends Cafu and Roberto Carlos among those on the World XI team.

Soccer Aid issued their own tribute to Payne on Thursday following his tragic death.

Liam Payne’s ex-fiancée Maya Henry claimed the One Direction star ‘predicted he would die early’ and ‘tried to get him help’ before his death yesterday.

In a haunting podcast two days before Payne’s death, Texan model Ms Henry, 23, spoke about how she had tried to get the singer help because he often ‘played with death’.

‘There was one time I tried to get him help, but he was not taking it,’ she told The Internet is Dead podcast.

Ms Henry served Payne with cease and desist papers last week after accusing him of repeatedly contacting her.

This MailOnline graphic shows Liam’s movements after arriving in Argentina on September 30.

He and his girlfriend Kate has flown to the South American country to watch fellow One Direction bandmate Niall perform on October 2.

Capital Radio’s Sian Welby has paid tribute to Liam Payne following his death yesterday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The host of the Capital breakfast Show appeared emotional on air as she said ‘we’ve all managed to bond over something that is tragic here at Capital’.

The ‘final’ photograph of singer Liam Payne returning to his hotel room in Buenos Aires before he fell to his death has been revealed.

The photo broadcast on local network America TV appears to show Payne wearing a white sleeveless top with his tattoos visible.

A presenter said it was the last time the former One Direction singer was seen alive before he got in a lift to his room.

The death of Liam Payne sent shockwaves through the world, not least in Wolverhampton in the Midlands where he grew up.

The University of Wolverhampton posted a picture of the late singer and offered its ‘most sincere condolences’.

City of Wolverhampton College posted another picture of a young Liam at a mixing desk when he was a student there.

Liam’s old school, St Peter’s Collegiate Academy also said in a statement:

We are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of our former student, Liam Payne. During his time at St Peter’s Collegiate Academy, Liam was not only well-like by his peers and teachers, but also recognised for his talents.

He made a positive impact on our school community, and his contributions will be remembered.

Neighbours reveal Liam Payne’s mother and father left their house last night at around midnight while two women, believed to be Liam’s sisters, were seen entering the property at 9am this morning.

One local resident, who did not want to be named, said:

They were seen leaving in a hurry at around midnight last night but I’m not sure if they had bags.

You can’t imagine what they are going through. I know Liam liked to get back here when he could. They will be utterly heartbroken as they very close.

His home town always had a place in his heart. The community is going to be devastated. I think the sisters are there now, your heart goes out to them.

I think they left last night at around 12pm. The parents aren’t here. All I can say really is condolences to them.”

Liam Payne’s family have been left ‘devastated’ by his tragic death, a relative said today, after his parents were seen leaving home in the middle of the night.

Geoff and Karen Payne (pictured with their son below) left ‘in a hurry’ at around midnight last night as news of the the 31-year-old’s death reached the family home in Wolverhampton.

This morning, the downstairs curtains remained drawn at the £600,000 four bedroom detached house in the Codsall area of the city.

A close family member, who answered the door told reporters: ‘We’re obviously devastated at the news but we don’t want to comment.’

Earlier this morning X Factor presenter Konnie Huq opened up about Liam Payne’s time on the show as she paid a heartfelt tribute to the singer after his tragic death.

Since then she has appeared on BBC News, where she described Liam as the most mature man of One Direction, but also ‘quite bashful and self-deprecating’.

Liam Payne’s former fiancee, Maya Henry, had accused the One Direction singer of repeated unwanted contact before his death.

The model had reportedly started legal proceedings and issued a cease and desist letter against the 31-year-old last week.

In a TikTok video on October 6, Henry claimed that, since their break-up, the singer would ‘blow up my phone’ from different numbers.

She claimed Payne was also messaging her friends, and that he encouraged his fans to make comments about her.

Henry and Payne (pictured below) began dating in 2019 and got engaged in August 2020.

The pair split during lockdown and announced they had broken off their engagement in June 2021.

Payne admitted to The Diary Of A CEO podcast that year that he was ‘disappointed’ in himself for ‘hurting people’ and said he was ‘working’ on himself and his emotions.

That’s where I got to in my last relationship. I just wasn’t giving a very good version of me anymore, that I didn’t appreciate and I didn’t like being.

I can honestly say I feel better out of it. I didn’t feel good doing what I did but it had to happen. That’s just the corniest way of saying it was the best for us both – whatever, cool, nice story, bro.

But it just feels like that. I know it was a problem so I need to sort myself. I already feel good. It has already got me more concentrated and I hope she is happy.

MailOnline has recounted Liam Payne’s final days before his shock death in Argentina yesterday.

Payne had arrived in South America with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy on September 30, staying in Argentina for two weeks after only planning to spend ‘five days’ there.

He shared a series of videos on Snapchat, detailing his activities during the trip after watching his former bandmate Niall Horan perform at the Movistar Arena, Buenos Aires on October 2.

Read the full story below:

Britain’s Got Talent has announced it will be postponing auditions for the show following Liam Payne’s death.

A spokesman for the programme’s producer, Freemantle UK, said:

Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions.

Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him.

The producer did not say when the auditions will resume. The ITV show’s latest round of auditions were held in Blackpool on Wednesday.

Liam Payne died instantly from multiple injuries including a fractured skull when he fell 45ft from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony.

The 31-year-old star plunged from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in Argentina’s capital yesterday afternoon, before medics confirmed his death.

Alberto Crescenti, head of the Buenos Aires emergency services, revealed Payne had a ‘cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death’.

He also told TN television that Payne was dead when paramedics arrived at 5pm local time (9pm UK time), adding: ‘Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life.’

Read the full story here:

Brtain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden and singer Peter Andre have also shared touching tributes to Liam on social media.

Footballers Jack Grealish and Jill Scott and singer Mabel have all taken to Instagram to mourn the death of Liam Payne.

The pair shared the following tributes to the late singer earlier this morning.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell (pictured) is the second MP to pay tribute to Liam Payne this morning, saying his death was as a ‘tragic end for someone so young’. She told the Commons:

Can I also send condolences to the friends and family of Liam Payne. One Direction was loved by millions across the world and this was a tragic end for someone so young.

Dermot O’Leary praised Liam Payne was a ‘wise’ and ‘young soul’ as he continued paying tribute to the late singer on ITV’s This Morning.

Solo artist Paloma Faith and McFly band member Tom Fletcher are the latest musicians to pay tribute to Liam Payne following his shock death.

One Direction fame was a ‘huge amount of pressure to be put on young shoulders’, former The X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary said in tribute to Liam Payne.

O’Leary told his fellow ITV’s This Morning presenters on Thursday ‘his mum and dad were just adorable’, when he competed on the singing competition, and his ‘heart goes out to his family’. He added:

He was kind of both wise and sort of a young soul at exactly the same time.

He had this kind of old bones about him, because like his musical taste and so forth and yet he was always quite beautifully wide eyed about (the) world and his place in it and it’s such a huge amount of pressure to be put on young shoulders.

I was just thinking about this last night, because I came in last night and saw the news, and I just thought, he’s been, not just famous, he’s had worldwide fame for basically half his life, which is an incredible amount of time for that level of pressure.

O’Leary is pictured with the band below when they appeared as guests on the X Factor in 2013, in front of judges Nicole Scherzinger, Gary Barlow, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh.

Liam Payne and former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan never shied away from expressing their love for each other.

Here is a look back at some of their most heartfelt moments together over the years.

Liam Payne has been praised for his ‘compassion and kindness’ by a food bank charity he had supported since the Covid pandemic.

The singer had said he was glad to be able to play ‘my small part’ in donating to provide hundreds of thousands of meals, as well as getting involved at his local food bank.

Anti-poverty charity Trussell, which runs a network of 1,400 food bank locations across the UK, said Payne had been a ‘generous supporter’ of its work for the past four years.

In March 2020, Payne donated to the charity – then known as Trussell Trust – to support more than 100 food bank centres in Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry, Sheffield, Nottingham and Bristol as they provided help to people in crisis.

Following his death yesterday, Trussell chief executive Emma Revie paid tribute to the One Direction star:

We are extremely saddened by the news of Liam Payne’s death.

Over the last four years, Liam was a generous supporter of Trussell and our community of food banks, not only funding the provision of more than 360,000 meals during Covid but also often joining us in calling for the solutions required to end the need for emergency food.

We greatly appreciate the compassion and kindness he always showed to people facing hunger and hardship. His death is a very tragic loss, and our thoughts are with his loved ones.

Before Liam’s incredible rise to fame on The X Factor and successful career in the British band he had an extremely normal and down to earth childhood with loving parents and two older sisters who he shared an extremely close bond with.

His mother and father were Karen , a humble nurse, and Geoff Payne, a fitter – who regularly spoke of how proud they were that their son was a member of the famous band.

Liam had two older sisters, Nicola and Ruth Payne, making him the youngest of three siblings in the tight-knit family who seemed completely unbothered about a life in the spotlight.

Australian radio host Smallzy pays tribute to One Direction star Liam Payne saying that he was ‘a fun guy, and one of the boys’.

On Sky News Breakfast to Kay Burley the Aussie host said ‘he was someone who enjoyed music’.

The brother of fellow One Direction star Niall Horan has paid tribute to Liam Payne following his shock death yesterday.

Greg Horan said Liam was like a brother to Niall, adding the 31-year-old will be ‘forever missed’.

Tributes are continuing to pour in for Liam as the showbiz world reacts to the One Direction star’s shocking death.

TV presenter Laura Whitmore posted an image of her with Liam at the Brit Awards, saying she ‘can’t believe’ the star’s passing.

The X Factor’s official account on X also shared a heartfelt tribute to the ‘immensely talented’ musician.

From cheeky winks to becoming a member of a hit global boy band – here are some iconic moments from Liam Payne’s X Factor journey.

Payne’s journey to stardom began when he was just 14-years-old at his lesser-known first audition for The X Factor.

The Wolverhampton teenager reached the judges’ house stage and no further in 2008, but came back two years later as Simon Cowell had asked.

At 16, Payne initially auditioned as a solo act but was given a second chance to come back as part of a group at Bootcamp, forming what would become one of the talent show’s biggest success stories – One Direction.

The band – comprising of Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson (pictured together below in 2012) – rose to international fame despite only placing third in the show.

They became one of the biggest pop groups in the world with five albums, four world tours, one movie and a memorable music video for Red Nose Day in 2013 which featured then prime minister David Cameron happening upon them dancing in front of Number 10 Downing Street.

But six years after they were formed, with more than 20 million albums sold, the band were placed on indefinite hiatus with Malik having already left in 2015 to pursue a solo career.

Liam Payne’s ex-fiancée Maya Henry is ‘in shock’ over his death according to a source close to the influencer.

A source close to Henry told MailOnline: ‘Right now she is obviously in shock.’

The model only found out when a member of her team was contacted by a reporter.

The pair are pictured together

below at Paris Fashion Week in 2019.

Boy band McFly shared a heartfelt tribute to the late singer following his death yesterday at the age of 31.

Rapper Quavo also shared a picture of Liam on his Instagram story with the words ‘Rest in Paradise’.

Around one month before the shocking death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy took to TikTok to tell on her own words how she met and fell in love with Liam.

Liam was a former student at the City of Wolverhampton College where he studied music. Following his death, principal and chief executive at City of Wolverhampton College Louise Fall, said:

We were sorry to hear the news about former student Liam Payne and wish to extend our sympathies to his family and friends at this very sad time.

West Bromwich Albion have joined the tributes to the One Direction star following his shock death at the age of 31.

The Championship football club shared a tribute on X to the singer, who had previously spoken of his support for the team.

Former The Xtra Factor presenter Konnie Huq said she told Liam Payne when Justin Bieber was on the show that he would ‘be as big as him one day’ and Payne was ‘self-deprecating’ but ‘absolutely did get to that level’.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:

I actually found out last night (about his death), but ‘just a boy’ is so right, because really all he’s known in his adult, and pre-adult life as well to some extent, is being in the limelight, and, you know, thrust into this position of global fame, not just sort of being known in your own country, but everywhere, essentially.

But I do remember we had Justin Bieber on the show, and Liam sort of had the same hairstyle, bore a striking resemblance, and so we got him to come on the show. He was really embarrassed to meet Justin.

And then afterwards, I was like ‘You will be as big as him one day’ and he was actually kind of self-deprecating, it was quite mature of Liam, of the boys, and, you know, he absolutely did get to that level, but it’s a lot for young people to take on.

Liam previously spole candidly about his battles with alcoholism while appearing on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary Of A CEO, back in 2021.

Radio hosts Ronan Kemp and Scott Mills shared poignant tribute to the late singer following his death in Argentina yesterday.

Former X factor contestant Cher Lloyd also shared a tribute to Liam, who both appeared on the show at the same time.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain earlier today, host Richard Madeley revealed Liam had ‘recently celebrated being 100 days clean’ in the days before his death.

A number of industry bodies joined those paying tribute, including streaming giant Spotify, MTV and the Brit Awards, who all said in separate statements that they are ‘deeply saddened’ by Payne’s death.

Chilling details of a panicked 999 call emerged today following Liam’s death at the Casa Sur Hotel in Argentina.

The 31-year-old had reportedly been acting erratically and was escorted back to his hotel room before plunging to his death yesterday afternoon.

A hotel reception worker in Buenos Aires made a frantic 999 call requesting ‘urgent’ assistance before he died.

Max met Liam while he was competing on The X Factor with One Direction. He wrote on X this morning:

DJ and music producer Zedd, who featured alongside Payne on the 2017 song Get Low, posted a tribute to the star on X:

Ant Middleton’s Instragram post comes after he reacted to the news of Liam’s death during a live interview on Thursday morning.

Ant, 44, held back tears as he shared some of his most memorable moments with the singer on The Morning Show in Australia.

The former marine, who is best know for his role on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, shared a photo of him and Liam enjoying a sunset. He wrote:

That was some sunset you captured there mate! A talented positive man with a good heart. I’m glad our friendship flourished and that I was someone you could confine in. Your turn to look over me now bro! Luv ya and will miss you sorely…

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has described the death of Liam Payne as ‘very sad news’.

She told Sky News on Thursday morning: ‘It’s very sad news, it’s no age for someone to lose their life, and my thoughts are with his friends and family, this must be a total shock for them and very, very upsetting.’

She said of his friends and family that ‘my thoughts are with them at what must be a really difficult time’.

The former singer wrote on Instagram:

This is the saddest news to wake up to! So young! For his family and friends who are waking up to this, my heart breaks for you all. And as for TMZ you should be ashamed of yourself! Absolutely disgusting and disgraceful and no respect!

As a mother who had to tell their child her daddy was gone, do you have any idea how difficult that is let alone having press releasing shitty pics and headlines!!!!

RIP @liampayne 💔 As for the paps and press please I beg you to leave the mother of his only child and their son alone!!!!! You have no idea what they are going through!

The BBC Radio 2 presenter shared a black and white image of the former One Direction singer saying:

Devastating news, dear Liam Payne. Thoughts & love to his family, friends and fans. ✨❤️🕊️

The former JLS star shared this picture of him and Liam smiling together, with the words:

I first met Liam in 2008 with the JLS boys whilst auditioning for X Factor..he was 14 years old..we instantly clicked and looked at him as a little brother..that year it worked out for us but not for him and then 2 years later he went back to audition and One Direction was born..the rest is history..

Absolutely heartbroken by the tragic news..Liam you wanted to be a global superstar and you did it bro..just can’t believe that things have ended this way..it’s shocking..my thoughts and prayers are with all your family and friends brother..RIP 🖤

Olly Murs says he is ‘devastated’ and ‘lost for words’ after hearing about Liam Payne’s death.

The former X Factor contestant, who appeared on the show in 2009, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the One Direction Star.

Murs wrote on social media: ‘This news is devastating, am lost for words. We always had a good laugh when we saw each other, sometimes the catch ups were only short and sweet but when we did it was mostly about how annoyingly good his hair always looked, or our love for Becks, the old XF days and the tour we shared together.

‘Liam shared the same passions as me, the same dreams so to see his life now end so young hits hard, I’m truly gutted and devastated for his Family and of course his son Bear losing a dad x am thinking of them! RIP Liam.’

Liam Payne rose to fame in the boyband One Direction – a group put together on X Factor in 2010 when the members were all teenagers.

Despite coming third on the show, they went onto global fame, selling 70 million records worlwide and topping the charts all across the world.

They became the first band in the history of the US charts to see their first four albums debut at number one.

BBC Media editor Katie Razzall told the Today Prgramme: ‘They reinvented the boyband. I remember after the came out my little daughter and her freinds signing their songs in the playground. They were all obsessed.

‘I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say they were the definitive pop band of their era.’

Heartbroken fans have descended on the Buenos Aries hotel where former One Direction member Liam Payne died last night to lay candles and flowers in tribute to the singer.

The popstar fell to his death from the third floor of a room in the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel shortly after 5pm (ART) yesterday .

Local police said they had been called to the luxury hotel prior to Liam’s fall after being ‘informed of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol.’

He had reportedly arrived in the Latin American country earlier this month to attend his ex bandmate Niall Horan’s concert.

Last night, thousands of fans gathered outside the hotel, while emergency services worked at the scene around a central red tent at the location the star fell.

Some lit candles, some sang One Direction songs and others held each sobbing as they paused to remember Mr Payne who was one fifth of the most succesful boy band of the 2010s.

In order to control the crowd, Argentinian police were forced to form a line in front of the hotel to stop fans getting too close to the scene.

The One Direction alum died Wednesday after reportedly falling from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of his death and will conduct an autopsy.

In wake of the news, a 2014 photo has resurfaced online of Payne standing on a narrow ledge on the 34th floor of his East London apartment building.

He originally shared the shocking image to Twitter (now X) after a wild night of partying in London for One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik‘s 21st birthday.

The singer, wearing a plaid shirt and black pants, stood just inches away from the building’s edge.

In an Instagram video uploaded at the time, the late star told his followers, ‘I didn’t get any dad socks yet though. I’m going to speak to my son in a little bit which I’m really excited about.

‘Bless him. He’s getting so big now. He’s a big boy and he looks like a mini me. As if we needed any more me in the world.’

Liam died on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was just 31.

As a fan who has followed Liam’s career since the very beginning, from One Direction’s meteoric rise to his solo success, I’ve been lucky enough to meet him on several occasions.

And despite the chaos that comes with fame, each time he was kind and generous.

But there was a dark side too – a side I saw during his last visit to Australia and it will haunt me forever.’

Following news of his sudden passing, fans took to social media to share clips of Liam from the music video of the boy band’s tune, where he sang a melancholy verse.

‘She told me in the morning/ She don’t feel the same about us in her bones/ It seems to me that when I die/ These words will be written on my stone,’ Liam sings at the end of the first verse.

Later on he sings in verse two: ‘I know that in the morning/ I’ll see us in the light up on the hill/ Although I am broken, my heart is untamed still.’

Story of My Life is a nostalgic ballad from One Direction that explores the journey of life and how experiences shape who we are.

Alberto Crescenti, head of Argentina’s emergency medical system, told the local press that authorities were investigating the circumstances of Liam Payne’s death and conducting an autopsy.

Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital, resulting in ‘extremely serious injuries.’ Medics confirmed his death on the spot, the statement said.

Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, said in a statement to The Associated Press that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room.’

Police rushed to the hotel in response to an emergency call just after 5 p.m. local time, he said, warning of an ‘aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.’

Payne had been vocal about struggling with alcoholism, posting a video in July 2023 to his YouTube channel where he said he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment. Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls.

Liam Payne‘s ‘extraordinary’ X Factor audition is going viral again in wake of the singer’s shock death.

It was reported that the One Direction alum, 31, had died Wednesday after falling off a third floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It’s unknown whether the fall was intentional or accidental.

Fans flocked to YouTube to watch Payne’s first-ever audition on the UK talent competition show in 2008, when he was just 14-years-old.

Although he made it through to the Judges’ Houses round, Payne was ultimately sent home.

Cowell encouraged Payne to try out again in ‘two years,’ which is when he’d achieve global superstardom as part of the boy band One Direction.

Witnesses say the One Direction star, 31, plummeted from his room at the CasaSur Palmero Hotel shortly after 5pm (ART) Wednesday evening.

A crowd of emotional fans have since come together to pay their respects to the young pop star following his sudden death.

Mourners have been seen lighting candles as a vigil is held for the father-of-one.

Fans were seen embracing each other as they cried, while others stood behind police tape.

Anne took to Instagram posting a broken heart emoji over a black screen, with the caption: ‘Just a boy…’ alongside another broken heart.

Her 2.5 million followers expressed similar sentiments, with one writing, ‘Tragic and heartbreaking.’

‘I am in total shock. My condolences to your family and also to his family and friends,’ another added.

Former X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary described shock reports of Liam Payne’s death as ‘the worst news’.

He said: ‘I remember him as a 14 year old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing.

‘He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble.

‘Sending love and prayers to his family. Dx’

Meanwhile fellow contestant and presenter Rylan Clark wrote to his 1.7million followers on X: ‘Extremely sad news. V tragic and so young. RIP Liam x’

Clark, 35 and Payne did not appear in the same series but were nevertheless both alumni of the hit ITV talent show.

Fellow former contestant Katie Waissel wrote: ‘My heart is completely torn to shreds right now, I am at an absolute loss for words.’

Jedward, aka John and Edward Grimes, wrote: ‘RIP Liam Payne 💔 condolences to friends and family’.’

He was the joyful Brummie who couldn’t believe his luck when he found himself as one fifth of X Factor phenomenon One Direction.

But last night singer Liam Payne was found dead after falling from the third floor of a hotel in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires. It is not known if it was intentional or not.

He was found on Wednesday at the CasaSur Palermo hotel.

Friends of the 31-year-old star were shocked at the news which came just days after his former girlfriend Maya Henry called in lawyers as she begins legal action against Liam after accusing him of obsessive contact and ‘weaponising’ his fans against her.

Buenos Aires police has confirmed that Liam Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital, resulting in ‘extremely serious injuries.’

He was declared dead at the scene, the statement added.

Pablo Policicchio, the spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Buenos Aires municipality, added that police were dispatched to the hotel in response to an emergency call about an ‘aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.’

When police arrived, they found Payne’s body in the hotel courtyard, Policicchio said.

An investigation has been launched and an autopsy will take place in due course, officials confirmed.

Police said they were responding to a scene at the hotel when officials heard a loud sound in an interior courtyard.

Officers then discovered a body, identified as that of Mr Payne.

Emergency medical services director Alberto Crescenti said he had suffered ‘serious injuries’ from the fall and confirmed an investigation into the death is ongoing.

Forensic teams join firefighters and police at the hotel in upscale Palermo this evening as crowds gather outside.

Singer Charlie Puth has shared a series of photos and videos to his Instagram as he paid tribute to the late One Direction star.

The 32-year-old Light Switch hitmaker posted a sweet photograph of the pair, each pointing to the other and with their arms around one another.

He wrote to his 18.4million followers: ‘I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me.

‘He was one of the first major artists I got to work with.

‘I can not believe he is gone.’

Liam Payne’s final video messages to his fans have emerged, which were posted just hours before news of his death.

The 31-year-old looked relaxed and happy as he swung the camera around to share his view of the vista and said: ‘It’s a lovely day here in Argentina’.

He then showed his current partner Kate Cassidy having breakfast, mentioning they were ‘enjoying breakfast and coffee’ at about 1pm.

She responded: ‘Literally we sleep in every day until about 12pm. We’re such losers.’

Liam shook his head, before simply adding with a smile: ‘No.’

The 31-year-old British musician was found dead after falling from his third floor hotel room balcony, police said this evening.

In a statement, the capital police said they were called to the hotel in the capital’s leafy Palermo neighborhood.

Emergency workers confirmed the death of the singer, who was reportedly found in the hotel’s interior patio.

‘Our hearts are absolutely broken and we wish much light and strength for his family and loved ones,’ MTV’s Latin American branch wrote in a post on social media platform X.

Liam Payne performs during the TAB Everest Race Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse on October 13, 2018