Tributes have been pouring in for former One Direction star Liam Payne after his shocking death at the age of 31.
The singer fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, according to local police.
© GettyAnne Twist, the mother of Liam's former bandmate Harry Styles, shared her sadness on social media. Alongside a broken heart emoji, she penned: "Just a boy …"
Dermot O'Leary, who hosted The X Factor both times Liam auditioned for the talent programme in 2008 and 2010, recalled the singer as a 14-year-old boy. "The worst news," the This Morning host penned on Instagram.
"I remember him as a 14-year-old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing."
"He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble."
© Dymond/Thames/Syco/ShutterstockSinger Olly Murs, who appeared on The X Factor a year before One Direction, said he was "lost for words" in a post on Instagram.
"We always had a good laugh when we saw each other, sometimes the catch-ups were only short and sweet but when we did it was mostly about how annoyingly good his hair always looked, or our love for Becks, the old XF (X Factor) days and the tour we shared together," Olly wrote alongside a picture of the pair.
"Liam shared the same passions as me, the same dreams so to see his life now end so young hits hard, I'm truly gutted and devastated for his family and of course his son Bear losing a dad."
© @ollymurs/InstagramParis Hilton also paid tribute on X, calling the news of Liam's death "so upsetting". "Sending love and condolences to his family and loved ones," she wrote. "RIP my friend."
BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball said "devastating news, dear Liam Payne," while US singer Charlie Puth, a co-writer on Liam's 2017 song Bedroom Floor, said he was "in shock". "Liam was always so kind to me," he wrote on Instagram Stories. "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."
© @charlieputh/InstagramDan Richards, a guitarist and music director who worked with One Direction, wrote on Instagram: "This all feels so surreal...Still trying to wrap my head around it all. My thoughts go out to Liam's family at this time."
Fellow boy band the Backstreet Boys also paid tribute, saying their hearts go out to "Liam's family, friends, and Directioners around the world".
A statement on Instagram added: "Words can not express the emotions we are collectively feeling right now, and it seems like the rest of the world is in the same boat."
© @backstreetboys/InstagramThe Wanted star Max George described Liam's death as "absolutely devastating news". The singer met Liam while competing on The X Factor with One Direction.
"Over the last few years I had the pleasure of getting to know him personally and spent some treasured time with him," he said.
"Liam was absolutely wonderful in terms of support when Tom fell ill, performing at the Royal Albert Hall with us for Stand Up To Cancer. He supported me a lot personally after Tom passed. I will never forget that," he wrote, referring to his bandmate Tom Parker, who died in March 2022 at the age of 33 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
Rylan Clark, who was also an X Factor contestant, said the news of Liam's death was "extremely sad". "V tragic and so young. RIP Liam," he wrote on X, while Jedward sent their condolences to Cheryl, his son Bear and "all the One Direction family".
A number of industry bodies also paid tribute on social media, including streaming platforms Spotify and Amazon Music as well as MTV and the Brit Awards.
Liam rose to fame in 2010 as one-fifth of the X-Factor boyband One Direction, alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles.
© JAB PromotionsTogether, they became one of the biggest pop groups in the world with five albums and four world tours before embarking on an indefinite hiatus in 2016 and pursuing solo careers.
Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, and Girls Aloud singer Cheryl share a son Bear, born in 2017, having been in a relationship between 2016 and 2018.
