Tributes have been pouring in for the 31-year-old singer who fell from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in the capital Buenos Aires.
Former One Direction star Liam Payne has died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
The 31-year-old singer suffered “extremely serious injuries” after falling from the third floor at the hotel in the capital Buenos Aires, police said.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, said on Argentinian television that Payne, who had a seven-year-old son with former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, fell into a courtyard of the CasaSur Hotel in the city’s Palermo neighbourhood.
The official declined to answer questions about how he came to fall from the balcony.
Mr Crescenti said authorities were investigating the circumstances of his death and conducting a post-mortem.
https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.673.0_en.html#goog_1364029489Play Video – Liam Payne dies: Sky’s Martha Kelner reportsLiam Payne dies: Sky’s Martha Kelner reports
Meanwhile, a transcript has been released of the emergency call the hotel desk manager made to 911 after the fall.
The hotel manager is heard saying he has a “guest drunk with drugs and alcohol”, adding: “He is breaking everything in the room.”
He later tells the operator they “need to send someone with urgency because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger because he is in a room with a balcony”.
The hotel manager continues: “We are afraid he could do something that threatens life.”
The 911 operator says the police and emergency medical workers have been sent to the scene.
Argentinian media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend the concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan earlier this month.
Fans flocked to the hotel after news of Payne’s death broke, with many expressing shock and heartbreak.
One Direction fans from across the world have also been sharing poignant tributes to Payne on social media.
0:21
https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.673.0_en.html#goog_735978003Play Video – Fans hold a vigil for Liam Payne outside hotelFans hold a vigil for Liam Payne outside hotel
In the hours before his death, photos shared from the singer’s Snapchat account showed him with his partner Kate Cassidy.
There was also clips, including one where he said it was a “lovely day here in Argentina”.
It appears the videos were filmed earlier in the week and then posted in his final hours.
“Just enjoying coffee and breakfast, even though it’s like 1pm,” he said. “Literally sleep in every day until like 12. We’re such losers.”
The star spoke about “going to ride some horses” and said: “Think I’m going to play polo again which is going to put me out of action for about six weeks.”
“It’s going to be a nice day,” he added.
Payne had embarked on a solo career after One Direction announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus in 2015.
The band was formed on The X Factor in 2010, with Payne featuring alongside Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles. They were mentored by Simon Cowell who had also created the show.
The group finished third before signing with Cowell’s “Syco” record label and going on to become one of the best-selling boybands of all time.
Payne’s relationship with Cheryl, who was a judge on the X Factor, began in 2016 and ended in 2018. They named their son Bear.
Britain’s Got Talent, another show created by Cowell, has cancelled its auditions in Blackpool today in light of Payne’s death.
It comes as tributes from the entertainment industry have been pouring in for Payne since news of the tragedy emerged.
In a post from its official X account, the team at the X Factor wrote: “We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne.
“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.”
Separately, Dermot O’Leary, a former host of the show, posted a photo of himself and Payne on Instagram, writing: “The worst news. 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.”
TV presenter Rylan Clark, a former X Factor contestant, said: “Extremely sad news. (Very) tragic and so young. RIP Liam.”
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, Hip hop icon Flavor Flav, boxer Chris Eubank Jr and former Cultural Club singer Boy George are also among those who have paid tribute.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also offered his condolences, with his official spokesman saying: “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.”
0:40
https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.673.0_en.html#goog_1746462811Play Video – Liam Payne’s X Factor auditionLiam Payne’s X Factor audition
Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, had a complicated personal life and spoken openly about his struggles with alcoholism and mental health. He was also diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
He had previously spoken about suffering with suicidal thoughts, admitting that he was “lucky to still be here”.
In 2019, Payne addressed his mental health on Sky show Straight Talking with Ant Middleton, where he spoke about his struggles with fame.
Describing fame as like “having a weird midlife crisis”, Payne said: “For some certain circumstances, I’m quite lucky to be here still.”
Since October 2022, Payne has been linked to influencer Cassidy, recently posting on Instagram that they “make each other better people”, and adding: “For the first time in my life I’m happy to be me and that’s priceless.”
He was previously engaged to Maya Henry, with their relationship ending in 2022.
Earlier this week, it was reported she had issued legal proceedings – instructing lawyers to issue a cease and desist letter to Payne – and she posted a video on TikTok claiming the singer had been repeatedly sending her unwanted messages.
Last week, the Sun reported Payne had parted with his management company and shelved plans for a second solo album.
What Does the “WC” Sign Mean?
A couple from TikTok, Shelby and Dylan, shared a video in 2020, where they were talking about the difference between Americans and Canadians.
“What in the world is a washroom?” Dylan asked. “And what are they washing in there? Oh, it’s a restroom. The only thing I wash in there is my hands,” he then continued.
Then Shelby asked, “Do you rest in a restroom?”
“That’s a good point. They both don’t make much sense,” Dylan said.
As the Mirriam Webster’s Dictionary explained, “water closet” is a noun which describes, “a compartment or room with a toilet” or “a toilet bowl and its accessories.”
In short, it means “WC.”
In Reddit, a user asked to other users, “Why is a public WC called bathroom if there is [no] bath?”
A Redditor commented under, “Americans might similarly ask: ‘Why is it called a WC (water closet) if it isn’t even a closet?”
“In Russian it’s ‘a room without windows’ even if there actually is a window,” then a different Redditor shared, “In Esperanto, it’s necesejo, or ‘necessary place’”
What do you think? Let us know.
Leave a Reply