Sharon Osbourne, a former judge on The X Factor, has shared her sorrow over the untimely death of Liam Payne.
Liam Payne died at 31 on October 16 after a tragic fall from a third-floor balcony in a hotel room at CasaSur in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Alberto Crescenti, director of emergency medical services, confirmed the news on Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel. He mentioned a medical team reached the hotel around 5:00 pm and ‘verified the death of a man,’ later discovering ‘he was a singer in a musical group’.
“Unfortunately, he had injuries that were incompatible with life, as a result of his fall, so we had to confirm his death, there was no possibility of resuscitation,” Crescenti elaborated.
In response, fans gathered at the hotel, lighting candles and singing songs to honor the memory of the singer who gained fame on The X Factor.
Payne initially appeared on the show at 14, advancing to the judge’s houses before being eliminated. He returned at 16 and was placed in a boyband with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik—forming One Direction.
Sharon Osbourne has since spoken about Payne’s passing.
Osbourne posted a black and white photograph of Payne on her Instagram on October 17.
The caption read: “Liam, my heart aches. We all let you down. Where was this industry when you needed them? You were just a kid when you entered one of the toughest industries in the world. Who was in your corner?
“Rest in peace my friend @liampayne.”
This message from Osbourne followed a statement from The X Factor on its official Twitter page.
The tweet stated: “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.
“Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.”
One Direction also issued a joint statement, and individual band members addressed the news on their social media accounts.
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