GIRLS ALOUD SINGER Cheryl has said the death of her former partner Liam Payne is “breaking my heart” as she criticised “abhorrent reports and media exploitation” in the wake of his passing.
The One Director singer (31) died on Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Cheryl was in a relationship with Payne from 2016 to 2018.
In a statement shared on Instagram this evening, accompanied by a photo of Payne and their son, she wrote: “As I try to navigate this earth-shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I’d like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.
“Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
Cheryl also criticised media coverage and content shared on social media following Payne’s death.
“What is troubling my spirit the most is that one day Bear will have access to the abhorrent reports and media exploitation we have seen in the past two days. It is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in his future.
“I am begging you to consider what use some of these reports are serving, other than to cause further harm to everyone left behind picking up the pieces.
Before you leave comments or make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them.
“Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last. Thank you.”
Earlier today, One Direction bandmate Niall Horan said that he was “so fortunate” to have seen Payne in the weeks before his death.
“I am absolutely devastated at the passing of my amazing friend, Liam,” Horan said in a post on Instagram.
“All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness.
“I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently.
I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever.
The pair met up at Horan’s concert in Argentina on 2 October.
The local prosecution office is leading an investigation into Payne’s death.
They met as teenagers on the X Factor. They first auditioned individually and were eventually formed into a band by judge Simon Cowell.
Harry Styles said the years he spent with his One Direction band mate “will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life”.
Another bandmate Louis Tomlinson said in a separate statement that Payne was “the most vital part of One Direction” and added that he would be telling his young son Bear “stories of how amazing his dad was”.
He was “instantly amazed” by Payne’s voice when they met and added that he had “got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for”.
“Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band,” he said.
“And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction.”
Zayn Malik, who left the band in 2015, said he never got to thank Payne for supporting him through “some of the most difficult times in my life.
He described Payne as “headstrong” and “opinionated” and said he respected him though they “butted heads because of this”.
“I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Simon Cowell said he is “truly devastated” after the death of the singer.
“You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens,” he wrote.
“Liam, I am truly devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you.”
Cowell said the singer’s seven-year-old son will be “so proud” of what he achieved.
Payne signed his first solo contract in 2016, with the label Capital Records UK. His career included hits like Strip That Down and Get Down.
In 2017, he announced the birth of his son, Bear, with Cheryl Tweedy, who he first met when he was a judge on The X Factor. In 2018, the couple announced that they had split.
Payne struggled with mental health issues and addiction, which he spoke about on a number of different podcast appearances.
Earlier this year, he released the track Teardrops, which was co-written with fellow boyband star JC Chasez of NSYNC fame.
Payne was most recently in a relationship with Kate Cassidy, and was announced as a judge on Netflix show Building The Band in August.
With reporting from the Press Association.
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