Liam Payne, who rose to fame in the pop band One Direction, has died at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires.
Police and paramedics were called to the hotel in the Argentine capital after reports of a body found on a hotel patio on the inside of the building.
It is unclear whether Payne had fallen accidentally or jumped to his death at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
Reuters news agency, citing local newspapers, said that police had received reports of “an aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol” at the hotel prior to Payne’s death.
The hotel manager told officers they were concerned for the welfare of a guest, Associated Press reported.
Police were called to the hotel at 5.04pm local time (9.04pm UK) and Payne was pronounced dead at 5.11pm.
Local media in Argentina subsequently reported that drugs and paraphernalia were found in Payne’s room, along with damage to furniture and a television.
Alberto Crescenti, a spokesman for the city’s ambulance service, said: “Unfortunately the injuries he had suffered as a result of the fall proved to be fatal. There was no possibility of resuscitating him.”
Meanwhile, the American gossip website TMZ was heavily criticised for publishing images that purportedly showed Payne’s body following the fall. The photographs have since been removed.
His death will be devastating for the legions of fans of One Direction (many of whom, seen below, gathered outside the hotel), who were for a period the biggest pop band in the world.
One Direction – often shortened to 1D – was propelled to success on the television show The X Factor in 2010 and went on to have a string of huge hits worldwide and five chart-topping albums before splitting up in 2016.
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ITV / The X Factor
Payne shared video on day of his death
Payne is thought to have been on holiday in Argentina with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, an online influencer who he had been dating since October 2022.
In the days before his death, Payne had attended a concert by one of his former bandmates Niall Horan at Buenos Aires’s Movistar Arena on Oct 2.
Videos of him at the concert had been posted showing him singing along with the crowd below from his VIP box. He had appeared the worse for wear.
Earlier on Wednesday, Payne had posted a video on Snapchat about his trip in Argentina, talking about riding horses, playing polo, and looking forward to returning home to see his dog. “It’s a lovely day here in Argentina,” he said in the video.
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Snapchat / Liam Payne
Payne had seemingly struggled to cope with life and the extraordinary fame and wealth as a result of the band’s astonishing success.
He was just 17 when the band came second on The X Factor, having been put together by the music impresario Simon Cowell. The other members Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik were all teenagers at the time.
Payne had dated the former X Factor judge and one-time girl band singer Cheryl Cole, who at 41 was ten years his senior, for two years from 2016 until 2018 and the couple had a child together that they named Bear, now aged seven.
His subsequent engagement to the model Maya Henry ended after ten months.
Singer struggled with fame and alcohol
Payne had previously talked about his struggles with mental health and a self-confessed addiction to “pills and booze” at the height of the band’s success. He told a podcast in 2021 of his battle with alcohol at the peak of their success when long periods were spent travelling on four world tours.
Payne, who was from Wolverhampton, said at the time: “There were points where it was toxic and difficult. Don’t get me wrong, we had the best time ever, but… you don’t realise you have a choice at that point.”
He told the podcast he had “moments of suicidal ideation”.
Emergency workers confirmed the death of the singer, who was reportedly found in the hotel’s interior courtyard.
Local news outlet Todo Noticias TV reported one eyewitness who said: “The neighbourhood is very shaken up … There’s a lot of police, some fans arriving. It is very sad.”
Pictures showed shocked fans gathering outside the hotel after police cordoned off the area with forensic investigators seen entering and exiting in white protective suits and blue gloves.
They were photographed lighting candles and adorning the side of the road with flowers as they paid tribute to the beloved music star.
The Foreign Office (FCDO) confirmed it is in contact with authorities in Argentina “regarding reports of the death of a British man”.
Shocked stars pay tribute
Dermot O’Leary, who presented The X Factor, calling it “the worst news”.
O’Leary remembered Payne as a 14 year-old-boy auditioning for for the show.
Harry Styles’ mother Anne Twist posted a broken-hearted emoji on Instagram, captioning it: “Just a boy.”
Paris Hilton has paid tribute to Payne on social media.
So upsetting to hear the news of @LiamPayne passing😢 Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. 🙏 RIP my friend🥺
— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) October 16, 2024
Pop duo Jedward, who also began their careers on X Factor, shared a post on X sending “strength to Cheryl and his son Bear and all the One Direction family”.
Former X Factor contestant Rylan Clark said Liam Payne’s death was “tragic”.
Fellow boy band the Backstreet Boys also paid tribute, saying their hearts go out to “Directioners around the world”.
A statement on X added: “Words can not express the emotions we are collectively feeling right now, and it seems like the rest of the world is in the same boat.”
A statement on the official X account of the Brit Awards said: “We’re incredibly sad to learn of the tragic passing of Liam Payne. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family at this time”.
