Liam Payne tragically died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina (Image: Getty Images)Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has spoken out about the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne, saying the music industry let him down. The British singer-songwriter, who shot to fame after being grouped with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson on The X Factor in 2010, was just a young lad when he entered what Sharon describes as “one of the toughest industries in the world”. Sharon, who served as a judge on the ITV talent show for seven years, made a guest appearance on the 2010 series to assist Louis Walsh during the judges’ houses phase of the competition. The heartbreaking news of Liam’s untimely passing was announced on Wednesday (16 October), reports the Mirror.
Sharon Osbourne paid tribute to Liam Payne and said the industry had failed him
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
The former One Direction member was holidaying in Buenos Aires with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy when he tragically fell around 13 or 14 metres from the third floor of a hotel. Alberto Crescenti, a spokesman for the City ambulance service provider, confirmed that he had suffered “severe injuries which were incompatible with life.” The shocking news of Liam’s death has sent shockwaves through the music industry, with tributes pouring in from friends, fans and fellow celebrities online. Among the latest to pay tribute is Sharon Osbourne. Taking to Instagram, Sharon, 72, wrote: “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.” One Direction rose to fame after finishing third in The X Factor, behind Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle. The group went on to release five studio albums, winning seven Brit Awards, including for their 2012 debut hit What Makes You Beautiful and the track History from their last album in 2015.
Sharon was a judge on The X Factor for seven years alongside Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell
(Image: Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)
Simon Cowell with One Direction
(Image: Getty Images)
Sign up to OK!’s daily newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free Liam had previously spoken about his struggles with alcoholism, revealing on The Diary Of A CEO podcast that he hit “rock bottom” at the height of his success. He continued to battle addiction during the Covid pandemic, but in 2023, he shared a YouTube video announcing he was almost six months sober after spending nearly 100 days in a US rehab facility. According to reports, staff at the Argentine hotel where Liam passed away made two emergency calls, with audio revealing a staff member requesting assistance for a guest “intoxicated by drugs and alcohol”. Police in Buenos Aires described Liam’s hotel room as “in complete disarray” with “various items broken”. Liam’s One Direction bandmates expressed their devastation at the news, stating that “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.” In a heart-wrenching statement signed “Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry”, Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmates shared their grief. They wrote: “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson shared a touching tribute to their former bandmate Liam Payne
(Image: Getty Images)
Liam’s former fiancée Maya Henry, previously opened up about their relationship
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Bvlgari UK)
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.” Liam’s former fiancée Maya Henry is also in mourning, revealing that the ex-One Direction star eerily foresaw his untimely demise. Just last week, Maya opened up about their tumultuous relationship in a TikTok video, and on Monday, during a podcast interview, she spoke candidly just two days before his tragic death. Speaking to The Internet Is Dead podcast on YouTube, Maya recounted: “He would always message me ever since we broke up saying, ‘I am not well’.” She added: “He would always play with death, saying, ‘I am going to die, I am not doing well’. There was one time that I tried to get him help and he was not taking it. He would text my mum and say ‘I’m not doing well, have Maya contact me’ because I wouldn’t respond,” as reported by The Sun.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnLiam PayneSharon OsbourneThe X Factor
