Liam Payne died in South America after a fall from a hotel balcony, local police said (Ian West/PA)
The sudden death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne has sent shockwaves throughout the entertainment world.
The 31-year-old was found dead outside a hotel in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires after he fell from his third-floor room balcony on Wednesday.
Emergency workers confirmed the death of the British singer, who was reportedly found in the hotel’s interior patio.
Payne shot to superstardom at just 16 years of age as part of global boyband sensation One Direction, the biggest commercial success story of the X Factor era.
1D called it a day in 2016, announcing an indefinite hiatus. Every member of the band would go on to pursue solo projects, with Payne taking a more dance music-oriented approach with his material.
He arguably made more headlines thanks to his love life, which included a high-profile relationship with former Girls Aloud singer and X Factor judge, Cheryl Cole.
The couple had a son together in 2017, whom they named Bear.
Payne’s death prompted a huge immediate reaction online as fans mourned and news outlets rushed to beat the traffic of rival publications.
Questions are now being asked about the nature of the reporting, and the severity of social media and meme culture when it comes to celebrity-related content.
The inner workings of the entertainment industry that propelled Payne to stardom at a young age are also falling under fresh scrutiny.
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Sophie Peachey, assistant news editor with The News Movement, and by music journalist, the Irish Independent’s Dave Hanratty, to examine the initial findings of a very modern tragedy.
