Liam Payne's 2 siblings: Who are his sisters Nicola and Ruth?

Emotional tributes have continued to pour in for former One Direction singer Liam Payne following his tragic death aged 31.

Liam, who shot to fame after appearing on The X Factor, died after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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The late star had been holidaying in Argentina with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, with the pair also stepping out to attend one of Niall Horan's concerts.

Among those paying tribute to the star was Liam's older sister Ruth Gibbins who opted to share a carousel of personal family photos, including a photo from Ruth's wedding day, as well as a snapshot that showed Liam bonding with Ruth's son, Ashton.

Elsewhere, Ruth shared a heartfelt message which in part read: "My brain is struggling to catch up with what's happening and I don't understand where you've gone.

"What I love most about you is your ability to make me laugh, I never chuckle as much as I do when I'm with you with anyone else.

"I'm always in awe of your talent, it should be illegal to be so talented and just have the ability to not only be good at things but be bloody great at everything you attempt, without even knowing you're absolutely smashing it each time."

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She finished by adding: "Thank you for changing my life, thank you for the incredible memories, thank you for being the best brother and friend I'll ever have." She also said that her family would "take care of Bear", Liam and Cheryl's seven-year-old son.

Liam Payne's rise to fame and career timeline

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• 2008: Liam auditions for The X-Factor at 14 years old and is told to come back in two years by Simon Cowell. 
• 2010: Liam returns to The X-Factor auditions and is placed in a group with Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles, forming One Direction. The band place third in the competition.
• September 2011: One Direction's debut single, 'What Makes You Beautiful' goes to number one in the UK and around the world. Since then, the band have had 14 top ten hits in the UK and four number-one albums on the Billboard 200.
• December 2011: Liam embarks on his first world tour with One Direction. 
• November 2012: One Direction releases their second album, Take Me Home. 
• August 2013: The band's documentary film One Direction: This Is Us, hit the big screen, with thousands of fans supporting the film at its premiere in London's Leicester Square. 
• November 2013: One Direction releases their third album, Midnight Memories. 
• December 2016: One Direction announce their indefinite hiatus.
• May 2017: Liam releases his debut single, 'Strip That Down', in May. 
• December 2019: Liam releases his first and only album, LP1, which reaches the top 20 in the UK.
• March 2023: Liam releases a comeback single, 'Teardrops'. 
• October 2023: Reports that Liam's second studio album has been put on hold.

In a shared family statement, meanwhile, Liam's loved ones 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."

Liam leaves behind his parents, two siblings and son, Bear.

Keep scrolling to find out more about Liam's two siblings…

Liam and his two older sisters grew up in Wolverhampton with their parents Geoff and Karen. The family were incredibly tight knit, with both Ruth and Nicola proudly supporting Liam from the sidelines.

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In a show of unity, the pair also attended the premiere of One Direction: This Is Us, gracing the red carpet alongside their famous brother.

When Liam embarked on his solo career following the band's indefinite hiatus, Nicola acted as a pillar of support.

After the release of his first solo album, she gushed on Instagram: "What a night!!! I'm so proud of @liampayne and what he has achieved being there to celebrate his first solo album release was one of the most special memories I will hold onto forever!!

"We have waited the longest for this album to come out and for Liam to be who he wants to be as an artist and I just love it!!"

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Meanwhile, in 2016, Liam appeared to take on the role of usher at his sister Ruth's wedding - a strong indicator of their incredibly close bond.

Both Ruth and Nicola are married with children. Ruth shares one son with her husband, while Nicola and her husband are doting parents to a daughter.

The sibling duo are also proud dog owners and regularly upload adorable pictures of their furry pals on social media.