Former One Direction star Liam Payne dies after balcony fall in Argentina

Former One Direction star Liam Payne has died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Local police said the singer fell from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina’s capital before medics confirmed his death, in a statement to the Associated Press (AP).

Police responded to an emergency call from the hotel manager who had become concerned for his welfare, AP said.

Pictures showed shocked fans gathering outside the hotel after police cordoned off the area with forensic investigators seen entering and exiting in white protective suits and blue gloves.

They were photographed lighting candles and adorning the side of the road with flowers in an impromptu vigil as they paid tribute to the beloved music star.

The Foreign Office (FCDO) confirmed it is in contact with authorities in Argentina “regarding reports of the death of a British man”.

But a spokesperson for the FCDO declined to comment any further, including on the identity of the man involved.

Payne formed boy band One Direction in 2010, alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles, after they individually auditioned for The X Factor.

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.

Earlier this month, Payne attended bandmate Horan’s Argentinian concert alongside his girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019 which included the songs Polaroid, Familiar and Strip That Down featuring Quavo.

The song was one of two tracks that reached the top 10 in the UK official charts, alongside For You with Rita Ora from the film Fifty Shades Freed – which the duo performed at the Brit Awards in 2018.

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

The singer first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 at the age of 14 singing Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon, with judge Simon Cowell telling him to return to the ITV talent show two years later.

He impressed the judges in 2010 singing Michael Buble’s rendition of Cry Me A River before he was put with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage of the competition – the group which later became One Direction.

In 2012, the boy band won their first Brit Award for best British single for their debut track What Makes You Beautiful, before picking up the Brit global success award a year later.

In 2014 and 2015 they also won best British video for Best Song Ever and You & I respectively.

After Malik left the band, the quartet won best artist video for Drag Me Down in 2016. They picked up the same award a year later for History.

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 this year, 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.