Liam Payne obituary: One Direction global megastar at 16 before solo artist fame and fatherhood joy

Former One Direction star after falling from a hotel balcony in .

Buenos Aires police said the singer fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina's capital, resulting in "extremely serious injuries" before medics confirmed his death. Pictures taken in front of the hotel show after police cordoned off the area, with forensic investigators seen entering and exiting in white protective suits and blue gloves.

The Foreign Office (FCDO) confirmed it is contact with authorities in Argentina "regarding reports of the death of a British man", but a spokesperson for the declined to comment any further, including on the identity of the man involved. Liam was part of the original line-up of , formed in 2010, alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and .

After becoming one of the biggest pop groups in the with five albums and four world tours, the boy band went on indefinite hiatus in 2016. Earlier this month, Liam attended bandmate Horan's Argentinian concert alongside his girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

Liam, 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 Tweedy share a son Bear, born in 2017, having been in a high-profile relationship between 2016 and 2018.

He first auditioned for The in 2008 at the age of 14 singing Frank Sinatra's Fly Me To The Moon, with judge telling him to return to the reality show at an older age. He impressed the judges in 2010 singing Michael Buble's 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 August last year, Liam 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, Liam was announced as a judge on a new show alongside former Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland and The Pussycat Dolls star . The stars were to judge attempts to create a band, looking at the contestants' chemistry as they formed groupings in the musical competition series.

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