Liam Payne obituary: One Direction made his childhood dream a reality – but fame was never easy
When Simon Cowell and his fellow X Factor judges were choosing the young singers to form One Direction, it was Liam Payne he was certain of.
“He was the stand-out audition,” the music mogul said, confidently, as a Polaroid of the then 16-year-old was placed on top of the smiling, fresh faces of Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson. Zayn Malik soon followed. The judges agreed Payne could be the “leader”.
From footage of the process, the creation of a pop phenomenon seemingly took just a few minutes.
“I’m in a boy band,” Payne excitedly told his dad in a text message after discovering he had been selected. He had no idea then how his life was going to change.
Pic: Katie Collins/PA
One Direction did not win the X Factor in 2010. That title went to Matt Cardle, with Rebecca Ferguson named runner-up. Beyond the hype around the series, only a few contestants, winners or otherwise, found lasting success. Leona Lewis, Little Mix, Olly Murs and Alexandra Burke were among a handful who shed the reality TV label and had sustained careers.
But Cowell‘s group went on to eclipse every other act that appeared on the show, before or after. The heady days of boy band mania in the 1990s and early 2000s involving Take That, Boyzone, Backstreet Boys and NSync had ended, and One Direction more than filled the gap.
They might have been “the cutest boyband ever”, as X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger described them during the selection process, but they were also five talented young singers who sang well-crafted, catchy pop songs.
From the release of their debut single, What Makes You Beautiful in 2011, their rise seemed inevitable. Payne co-wrote songs on all their albums.
One Direction became one of the biggest pop groups in the world, releasing five albums, embarking on four world tours and starring in a film. But just five years after their formation in 2010, Malik left the group, and the band announced their indefinite hiatus the following year.
Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, had wanted to be a singer from a young age. His first audition for the X Factor had actually been in 2008 when he was 14, two years before he was placed in One Direction.
“I think about singing all the time,” he told the cameras following the hopefuls, before singing Fly Me To The Moon in front of the judges. Cowell liked him and put him through the first round, but ultimately decided he was too young.
Pic: Ken McKay/Shutterstock
As a solo star, he signed a deal with Capitol Records, had hits including Strip That Down and Get Low, and worked with a range of high-profile artists. But as his former bandmates found varying degrees of solo success – Styles hitting similar heights to One Direction as an artist in his own right – Payne seemingly struggled to find his place.
After achieving his childhood dream, his path followed that of so many stars who find stratospheric fame at a young age. In interviews, he spoke candidly about his struggles with mental health and addiction to alcohol.
“For some certain circumstances – I’m quite lucky to be here still, which is something I’ve never really shared with anyone,” he told former soldier and TV personality Ant Middleton on his Straight Talking show in 2019.
“I can’t go too deep into it because I don’t know how I feel myself. I still haven’t made my peace with it, to be honest.”
With Cheryl at the Brit Awards in 2018. Pic: Reuters/Eddie Keogh
He continued: “There’s times where that level of loneliness and people getting into you every day. Just every so often, you’re like, when will this end? That’s almost nearly killed me a couple of times.”
In an interview with Diary Of A CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett, he described struggling with alcoholism at the peak of his success with One Direction, and hitting “rock bottom”. His problems with drinking continued during the pandemic, but in 2023 he shared a YouTube video telling fans he was six months sober, after spending nearly 100 days in rehab in the US.
In his personal life, he had a relationship with Girls Aloud star Cheryl, having first met her as a teenager during that first X Factor audition when she was a judge in 2008. “I like you, I think you’re really cute,” she famously told him back then, saying he had charisma and a “cheeky” style when he winked at her. In March 2017, they announced the birth of their son, Bear, but split the following year.
At the time of his death, he was in a relationship with US model and influencer Kate Cassidy, who had been with him in Argentina to see a concert by his former bandmate Horan. He had faced some criticism on social media over his behaviour at the show, leading to fans circulating old clips of him. However, footage he posted just hours before he died seemed to suggest he was enjoying his trip.
Read more:
Stars pay tribute to Liam Payne
He had the X Factor – but less support than stars have today
Payne’s death aged 31 is a devastating end to a young life, and while the full circumstances are not yet known, some musicians in their tributes have called for more support behind the scenes. As documentaries on huge stars such as Taylor Swift, Lewis Capaldi and Selena Gomez have shown in recent years, behind the glamour and fortune, the reality of fame can often be harsh and often lonely.
In 2020, marking One Direction’s 10th anniversary, Payne shared a screenshot of that text message he had sent to his dad, telling him he was in a boyband, all those years earlier. “What a journey,” he wrote. “Thanks to everyone that’s supported us over the years and thanks to the boys for sharing this with me.”
Speculation about a reunion had grown over the years. Now, if it does happen in the future, it tragically will be without Payne. The young star who always wanted to sing.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
The dates for Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK have been announced, with the US president due to be welcomed by the King from 17 to 19 September.
Buckingham Palace also confirmed that President Trump and first lady Melania will be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor Castle.
It was expected that the three-day state visit would take place in September after Mr Trump let slip earlier in April that he believed that was when his second “fest” was being planned for.
Windsor was also anticipated to be the location after the US president told reporters in the Oval Office that the letter from the King said Windsor would be the setting. Refurbishment works at Buckingham Palace also meant that Windsor was used last week for French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.
This will be Mr Trump’s second state visit to the UK, an unprecedented gesture towards an American leader, having previously been invited to Buckingham Palace in 2019.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump posing with Charles and Camilla in 2019. Pic: Reuters
He has also been to Windsor Castle before, in 2018, but despite the considerable military pageantry of the day, and some confusion around inspecting the guard, it was simply for tea with Queen Elizabeth II.
Further details of what will happen during the three-day visit in September will be announced in due course.
On Friday, Sky News revealed it is now unlikely that the US president will address parliament, usually an honour given to visiting heads of state as part of their visit. Some MPs had raised significant concerns about him being given the privilege.
But the House of Commons will not be sitting at the time of Mr Trump’s visit as it will rise for party conference season on the 16 September, meaning the president will not be able to speak in parliament as President Macron did during his state visit this week. However, the House of Lords will be sitting.
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Labour MP: ‘Trump isn’t welcome here’
In February this year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer presented the US president with the letter from the King inviting him to visit during a meeting at the White House.
After reading it, Mr Trump said it was a “great, great honour”, adding “and that says at Windsor – that’s really something”.
In February, Sir Keir Starmer revealed a letter from the King inviting Donald Trump to the UK. Pic: Reuters
In the letter, the King suggested they might meet at Balmoral or Dumfries House in Scotland first before the much grander state visit. However, it is understood that, although all options were explored, complexities in both the King and Mr Trump’s diaries meant it wasn’t possible.
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King and Trump won’t hold private meeting
This week, it emerged that Police Scotland are planning for a summer visit from the US president, which is likely to see him visit one or both of his golf clubs in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire, and require substantial policing resources and probably units to be called in from elsewhere in the UK.
Precedent for second-term US presidents, who have already made a state visit, is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.
A small plane has crashed at Southend Airport in Essex.
Essex Police said it was at the scene of a “serious incident”.
Images posted online showed huge flames and a large cloud of black smoke, with one witness saying they saw a “fireball”.
A police statement said: “We were alerted shortly before 4pm to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane.
“We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours.
“We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.”
A huge fireball near the airport. Pic: Ben G
It has been reported that the plane involved in the incident is a Beech B200 Super King Air.
According to flight-tracking service Flightradar, it took off at 3.48pm and was bound for Lelystad, a city in the Netherlands.
One man, who was at Southend Airport with his family around the time of the incident, said the aircraft “crashed headfirst into the ground”.
John Johnson said: “About three or four seconds after taking off, it started to bank heavily to its left, and then within a few seconds of that happening, it more or less inverted and crashed.
“There was a big fireball. Obviously, everybody was in shock in terms of witnessing it. All the kids saw it and the families saw it.”
Mr Johnson added that he phoned 999 to report the crash.
Southend Airport said the incident involved “a general aviation aircraft”.
Four flights scheduled to take off from Southend this afternoon were cancelled, according to its website.
Flightradar data shows two planes that had been due to land at Southend were diverted to nearby airports London Gatwick and London Stansted.
Plumes of black smoke. Pic: UKNIP
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said four crews, along with off-road vehicles, have attended the scene.
Four ambulances and four hazardous area response team vehicles are also at the airport, as well as an air ambulance, the East of England Ambulance Service said.
Its statement described the incident as “still developing”.
Fire engines at the airport
David Burton-Sampson, the MP for Southend West and Leigh, posted on social media: “I am aware of an incident at Southend Airport. Please keep away and allow the emergency services to do their work.
“My thoughts are with everyone involved.”
Local councillor Matt Dent said on X: “At present all I know is that a small plane has crashed at the airport. My thoughts are with all those involved, and with the emergency services currently responding to the incident.”
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UK
Heidi Alexander says ‘fairness’ will be government’s ‘guiding principle’ when it comes to taxes at next budget
Another hint that tax rises are coming in this autumn’s budget has been given by a senior minister.
Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was asked if Sir Keir Starmer and the rest of the cabinet had discussed hiking taxes in the wake of the government’s failed welfare reforms, which were shot down by their own MPs.
Trevor Phillips asked specifically if tax rises were discussed among the cabinet last week – including on an away day on Friday.
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Tax increases were not discussed “directly”, Ms Alexander said, but ministers were “cognisant” of the challenges facing them.
Asked what this means, Ms Alexander added: “I think your viewers would be surprised if we didn’t recognise that at the budget, the chancellor will need to look at the OBR forecast that is given to her and will make decisions in line with the fiscal rules that she has set out.
“We made a commitment in our manifesto not to be putting up taxes on people on modest incomes, working people. We have stuck to that.”
Ms Alexander said she wouldn’t comment directly on taxes and the budget at this point, adding: “So, the chancellor will set her budget. I’m not going to sit in a TV studio today and speculate on what the contents of that budget might be.
“When it comes to taxation, fairness is going to be our guiding principle.”
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Afterwards, shadow home secretary Chris Philp told Phillips: “That sounds to me like a barely disguised reference to tax rises coming in the autumn.”
He then went on to repeat the Conservative attack lines that Labour are “crashing the economy”.
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Chris Philp also criticsed the government’s migration deal with France
Mr Philp then attacked the prime minister as “weak” for being unable to get his welfare reforms through the Commons.
Discussions about potential tax rises have come to the fore after the government had to gut its welfare reforms.
Sir Keir had wanted to change Personal Independence Payments (PIP), but a large Labour rebellion forced him to axe the changes.
With the savings from these proposed changes – around £5bn – already worked into the government’s sums, they will now need to find the money somewhere else.
The general belief is that this will take the form of tax rises, rather than spending cuts, with more money needed for military spending commitments, as well as other areas of priority for the government, such as the NHS.
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