People have come to Adrian Chiles’ defence for his ‘lovely’ tribute after he was slammed for his unconventional outfit to Liam Payne’s funeral.
The late One Direction star’s funeral took place earlier this week, with Cheryl, Simon Cowell and his ex-bandmates all in attendance at the moving service, a month after his death aged 31 in Argentina.
Several more of Payne’s celebrity friends showed up to pay their respects on the emotional day including writer and TV host Adrian Chiles.
The 57-year-old media personality wore a West Bromwich Albion jacket which was quickly slammed by certain people online as ‘so crass’.
But fans have now come out in support of Chiles’ after explaining the profound significance of his outfit choice – and just how fitting it was to remember his friendship with Payne.
Not only was Payne a WBA fan, but he and Chiles attended football matches together where their friendship blossomed.
The pair first met when Payne was on X Factor, about to be flung into stratospheric fame as part of boyband One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.
Chiles now hosts BBC Radio 5 Live and recently recalled his connection with Payne to listeners.
‘I got to know him when he first did X Factor,’ he said on the show.
‘He came up to me and said “up the Albion” – he was a West Brom fan. Just as a sign as to how massive he was, I remember we snuck him into a Boxing Day game and I think his mum and dad came and sat with me.
‘But we managed to secrete our man up in the commentary gantry so he didn’t get bothered. Then a friend of mine texted me to ask, “Why are West Brom trending number one on Twitter?”
‘I went, “Well it could be because Liam Payne is here and he tweeted he was here and the whole world went mad for it”,’ per GBNews.
Given the history, fans have pointed out just how poignant his funeral outfit of choice is.
‘The raft of crap Adrian Chiles tweets summarize perfectly how social media in its current guise only operates at an ultra-thin, surface level only measure.
‘Any sense of deeper meaning or real emotion is absent or impossible. Wearing the West Brom coat was pure love & honour,’ @barrymccarthy posted on X.
‘He clearly just wanted to pay a personal tribute to someone he cared about on a very sad day?’ @jonbir90 echoed.
‘Got a lot of time for Adrian Chiles going to Liam Payne’s funeral in a West Brom coat given their mutual love of the team,’ @HLTCO shared.
‘People laughing at Adrian Chiles wearing a WBA coat when actually it’s the sweetest thing when you realise Liam Payne supported WBA,’ @alihampsonsilk added.
‘Adrian Chiles turned up in a West Brom jacket as Liam Payne was a massive baggies fan. A really nice touch,’ @FBAwayDays commented.
‘You see this and initially think it’s a bit funny and weird, and then you learn he and Liam went to West Brom games together, and it suddenly becomes a beautifully touching tribute. What a lovely man,’ @charlieherbert praised.
Payne’s family also made a heartwarming gesture after his funeral by setting up a fund to build a new Cancer Centre for children at Great Ormond Street Hospital in his memory.
‘‘Your donation today will continue Liam’s legacy by helping to build a brand new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
‘This incredible new building will help give seriously ill children childhoods that are fuller, funner and longer,’ the order of service read.
It came after Payne it was revealed Payne spent his last few weeks helping sick children.
”I’ve always felt really lucky to be in the position that I’m in and my life aspiration has been to be a superhero… but I can’t fly, I’m not a great mechanic, I wasn’t affected by radiation, and I’m not incredibly strong,’ he said in a series of Snapchat videos before his death.
‘All I know is there are websites out there for you to be able to donate to sick children that need your help.’
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