One Direction star Liam Payne has died suddenly aged 31, after falling from a hotel balcony in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Local authorities have said they will conduct an autopsy and investigate the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
Tearful fans have been gathering outside the hotel to mourn the death of the singer by lighting candles, singing One Direction songs or holding moments of silence.
Stars including Liam Gallagher, X Factor host Dermot O’Leary and TV presenter and former contestant Rylan are among those to have paid tribute. Anne Twist, the mother of Payne’s former bandmate Harry Styles, wrote on Instagram: “Just a boy.”
Payne rose to fame while competing on season five of The X Factor in 2010, when he was placed in the band One Direction along with Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.
They went on to become one of the world’s most successful boybands, selling 70 million records and performing in stadiums around the world.
Payne had a son, born in 2017, with former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy.
Why was Liam Payne in a legal battle with his ex-girlfriend?
Liam Payne and his ex-girlfriend, Maya Henry, were in a legal battle when he died on Wednesday night. The couple had called things off in 2022. Henry, 23, had issued a cease and desist notice to Payne earlier this week, accusing him of repeatedly contacting her and her loved ones, The Daily Mail reported.
“‘Maya Henry issued a cease and desist last week to Liam Payne following the emergence of new and concerning information,” her lawyers told the Mail. “She has retained attorneys Marco Crawford and Daniel Cerna to represent her. At this time, that is her only comment on the matter.”
Henry spoke out about her concerns in a TikTok video earlier this month.
“Ever since we broke up he messages me, will blow up my phone, not only from his phone, it’s always from different phone numbers too, so I never know where it’s gonna come from,” Henry said in the video.
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 07:00
Liam Payne tributes: MTV and music icons pay condolences after One Direction star’s shock death
Kevin EG Perry17 October 2024 06:30
In pictures: Fans mourn Liam Payne outside hotel where he died
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 06:00
Where was Liam Payne when he died?
Liam Payne was found dead in a hotel courtyard on Wednesday night. The hotel is located on Costa Rica Street in Buenos Aires’s Palermo neighborhood, local authorities revealed.
Earlier this month, Payne reportedly shared a Snapchat saying he was traveling to Argentina in part to see his former bandmate Niall Horan play a show there. “It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken,” he said. “We’ve got a lot to talk about and I would like to square up a couple of things with the boy. No bad vibes or nothing like that but we just need to talk.”
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 05:30
Is foul play suspected in Liam Payne’s death?
It’s unclear if authorities suspect foul play in Liam Payne’s death.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, has only said that authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding Payne’s death.
His body has been sent for an autopsy to help investigators determine what led up to his death and if there were any contributing factors.
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 05:01
In pictures: Police investigate scene of Liam Payne’s death
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 04:31
What we know about One Direction’s Liam Payne’s shocking death at a Buenos Aires hotel
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 04:02