THE FAMILY OF former One Direction star Liam Payne have said they are “heartbroken” by his death.
The 31-year-old died yesterday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The local prosecution office is leading an investigation into his death.
In a statement issued by his spokeswoman this afternoon, Payne’s family said: “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.”
Tributes from fans and people in the music industry have poured in from around the world since the news was shared.
Fans were photographed lighting candles and leaving flowers at the side of the road in an impromptu vigil as they paid tribute to the music star.
A post from the official X Factor account on X described Payne as “immensely talented”, while the show’s former host Dermot O’Leary told ITV’s This Morning show that the singer was “kind of both wise and sort of a young soul at exactly the same time”.
We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne.
— The X Factor (@TheXFactor) October 17, 2024
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. pic.twitter.com/wOXUTKPUiR
Downing Street offered Keir Starmer’s condolences to Payne’s family and friends.
The Prime Minister’s 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.”
Former Love Island host Laura Whitmore described the singer as “always so lovely and giving of his time” when she had met him over the years.
She recalled interviewing him at the Brit Awards one year when she could she see he was “very loved up with someone backstage”.
“Sometimes we forget people in the public eye are real people with real feelings,” she added.
“He was a pop star but more importantly someone’s son, father – loved by so many who are left heartbroken. My thoughts with his loved ones. I can’t believe it, but also I can. Which is devastating.”
Singer Beverley Knight said she had followed the success of her fellow Wolverhampton native and felt “immense pride that a young lad from my town had become a worldwide star, a member of one of the best-selling boybands of all time”.
US singer Charlie Puth, a co-writer on Payne’s 2017 song Bedroom Floor, said he was in “shock” after Payne’s death.
“Liam was always so kind to me,” he posted on Instagram. “He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I cannot believe he is gone … I am so upset right now, may he rest in peace.”
Actor and musician Damian Lewis, who played on the England squad with Payne for Soccer Aid, described him as a “warm, open, self-deprecating, chatty, lovely man”.
With reporting from Press Association
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