Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Liveupdated

Liam Payne death latest: Investigation launched after One Direction star falls from balcony in Buenos Aires

Payne was just 16 years old when he joined One Direction, a boyband formed by Simon Cowell on The X Factor in 2010

Roisin O'Connor
Thursday 17 October 2024 08:55 BST
Comments
One Direction singer Liam Payne dies aged 31

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

One Direction star Liam Payne has died suddenly aged 31, after falling from a hotel balcony in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Local authorities have said they will conduct an autopsy and investigate the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.

Tearful fans have been gathering outside the hotel to mourn the singer by lighting candles, singing One Direction songs or holding moments of silence.

Stars including Liam Gallagher, X Factor host Dermot O’Leary and TV presenter and former contestant Rylan are among those to have paid tribute. Anne Twist, the mother of Payne’s former bandmate Harry Styles, wrote on Instagram: “Just a boy.”

Payne rose to fame while competing on season five of The X Factor in 2010, when he was placed in the band One Direction along with Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.

They went on to become one of the world’s most successful boybands, selling 70 million records and performing in stadiums around the world.

Payne had a son, born in 2017, with former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in