Zayn Malik 'in absolute bits' over the death of former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne

Zayn Malik was left devastated when he found out about the passing of his ex-bandmate Liam Payne.

Liam and Zayn were members of the boyband One Direction alongside Harry Styles , Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson. Liam tragically passed away at the age of 31 when he fell from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

The sudden death caught fans off guard and left Liam's family heartbroken . Now a source shared that Zayn was "in shock" over Liam's death ever since he found out.

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An unnamed US music producer told the Daily Mail : "Zayn was told in the early hours of this morning and has been in absolute bits. He is in shock, and his parents have been in touch with Liam’s family to offer their support and condolences."

Zayn and Liam both auditioned for the X Factor in the UK in 2010 as solo artists. However, the judges, led by Nicole Scherzinger, put them in a boyband along with Harry, Niall, and Louis.

The five boys went on to place third in the competition and travel the world selling out arenas to adoring fans. In 2015, Zayn left the band citing mental health reasons.

The band went on indefinite hiatus in 2016 and Liam and Zayn weren't seen together since. According to the source, it "had been a while since Zayn and Liam had spoken" due to "issues they had with one another in the past."

"But they respected each other from a distance," the source explained, "They didn’t hate each other but they couldn’t see eye to eye on different things."

But the two could agree on one thing. "They both felt that they had been exploited in the music industry," explained the insider.

The Pillowtalk singer's loved ones are worried for him, with the source claiming they "don't want him to be alone" so they're making sure he's "surrounded by his friends."

Liam's death comes after a hotel employee at the Hotel CasaSur where Liam was staying called emergency services. The employee claimed that there was an unruly guest who they thought was on drugs and destroying his hotel room.

Soon after, Liam fell out of the window and paramedics were called. "Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life," a statement from the Buenos Aires emergency services chief said, "Based on what the team saw, there was apparently a cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death."

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