One Direction star Liam Payne dies aged 31 in Buenos Aires

Former One Direction star Liam Payne has died at the age of 31, according to local reports.

Payne is reported to have died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, local officials said, according to the Associated Press.

Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, said on Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel that Payne fell into a courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina’s capital, AP said.

Payne was part of the original line-up of the world-famous boy band, formed in 2010, alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles.

A statement on the official X account of the Brit Awards said: “We’re incredibly sad to learn of the tragic passing of Liam Payne. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family at this time”.

Media personality and fellow former X Factor contestant Rylan Clark said Liam Payne’s death was “tragic”.

The broadcaster described news of the singer’s death as “extremely sad.”

In a social media post, former X Factor duo Jedward sent “strength to Cheryl and his son Bear and all the One Direction family”.

John and Edward Grimes, known as Jedward, started their careers on the same reality TV show that launched One Direction.

Payne is said to have been in Buenos Aires to attend the concert of his former bandmate Horan, having been seen dancing at his show two weeks ago at the Movistar Arena alongside his girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

After becoming one of the biggest pop groups in the world with five albums and four world tours, One Direction went on indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019 which included the singles Polaroid and Familiar.

He and Girls Aloud singer Cheryl share a son Bear, born in 2017, having been in a high-profile relationship between 2016 and 2018.

In August last year, Payne postponed his scheduled tour of South America after suffering from a “serious kidney infection”.

He said the infection was something “I wouldn’t wish on anyone” and he had been instructed by doctors to “rest and recover”.

Later last year he was banned from driving in the UK after admitting a speeding offence.

The singer was reportedly travelling at 43mph in a 30mph zone and was banned from driving for six months, as well as paying a fine, in October 2023.

In August, Payne was announced as a judge on a new Netflix show alongside former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland and The Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger.

The stars were to judge attempts to create a band, looking at the contestants’ chemistry as they formed groupings in the musical competition series.