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
Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.
Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.
Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.
The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
Officers guard one of the crime scenes
Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.
“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.
“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”
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Wrexham AFC have been promoted for the third season in a row.
The North Wales-based side has gone from the National League to the Championship in just three seasons, under its Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Wrexham were second in the table and had a run of eight games unbeaten ahead of their match against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, which they won 3-0.
Wrexham’s James McClean lifts the League One trophy. Pic: PA
Wrexham’s Dan Scarr celebrates with the fans on the pitch after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA
It is the first time any club has been promoted for three consecutive seasons within the top five tiers of English football.
The third oldest association football club in the world, Wrexham AFC was bought by Reynolds and McElhenney in 2020, and has since been the subject of a Disney+ documentary, Welcome To Wrexham.
Reynolds, wearing a Wrexham sweatshirt, and McElhenney were pictured celebrating each goal, and after the game, as the fans came onto the pitch at the SToK Cae Ras (Racecourse Ground) to celebrate the victory with the players.
Wrexham co-owners Rob McElhenney (L) and Ryan Reynolds and Ryan’s wife Blake Lively, before the match. Pic: PA
Both stars came onto the pitch after the supporters returned to the stands.
Speaking to Sky Sports, McElhenney praised those behind the scenes, referring to “so many that don’t get the credit they deserve, people who aren’t talked about”.
Reynolds said bringing success back to the club “seemed like an impossible dream” when they arrived in North Wales in 2020.
Wrexham’s Sam Smith celebrates in front of the fans after Wrexham won promotion to the Championship. Pic: PA
He put the three promotions down to “the coaching staff, the greatest dressing room” and an “all for one, one for all” attitude throughout the club, adding he was “speechless with their commitment and their emotion”.
As for the mouth-watering prospect of another promotion to the promised land of the Premier League, the pair agreed it was “for tomorrow”, before ending the interview with a joint mic-drop.
Veteran striker Steven Fletcher said, “as soon as I came to this club, I knew it was something special. We want to go again. We’ll reset in the summer, take a break and go again”.
“It has been a success.”
Just Stop Oil (JSO) insists it’s been “successful” – as its members ceremoniously hang up their orange high-vis vests during a march in central London.
Since the group formed three years ago, it’s drawn attention and criticism for its colourful, controversial protests, which ranged from disrupting sporting events to throwing soup on Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and climbing on gantries over the M25. It sprayed orange paint over Stonehenge, and cost police forces tens of millions of pounds.
Those days are now behind it; to the relief of many.
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As a few hundred activists marched through London on Saturday, blocking roads as they went; taxi drivers blared their horns and football fans shouted abuse from the pavement.
The PA News Agency filmed the moment a white minivan seemed to drive towards a group of protesters blocking the road.
Protesters shouted “I’m being pushed back!” to police, while the driver could be heard shouting “What about my right to get home?” to the officers gathered.
But JSO never set out to be popular. And it believes its tactics – though hated – have been successful; thanks to the new Labour government’s commitment to not issue new oil or gas exploration licences.
That’s why, it says, its ceasing direct action.
JSO hangs up its high-vis jackets in central London on Saturday
A washing line of high-vis jackets signifies JSO’s disbanding
“This moment marks the success of the JSO campaign – our demand was to end new oil and gas licences and that is now government policy.
“As a result of which four billion barrels of oil are being kept under the North Sea. The campaign has reached a natural end.”
Dr Oscar Berglund, senior lecturer in international public and social policy, disagrees that JSO is disappearing because it’s been “successful”.
He told Sky News policing strength and public perception might have more to do with it.
“They have very low levels of popularity. About 17% of the British population are kind of broadly supportive of what Just Stop Oil do. And that’s too low to recruit.
“It’s difficult to recruit members to something that is that unpopular, and then that a lot of people for good reason I think have kind of stopped believing in that kind of disruption as a means to achieve meaningful change.”
Group triggers specific new protest laws
One thing it did change is the law.
Policing commentator Graham Wettone tells us: “Obstruction of the highway, obstruction of rail networks for example, these are specific offences now.
“It’s given the police more tactics, more methods, more offences they can consider, even stopping and searching somebody who may have something to either lock themselves on or glue themselves to something.”
A JSO activist holds a picture of an imprisoned colleague
Emma Smart was held in prison for her activism with both Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil.
“The high-vis might be going away,” she tells me, “but we aren’t.”
“These people aren’t going anywhere, we are still committed, dedicated, terrified by the failings of this government and governments around the world.”
JSO activists throw orange paint at van Gogh’s sunflowers
Orange smoke set off by JSO protesters at Stonehenge
She hopes for a time of reflection before it returns in a new form but says the need for climate activism is stronger than ever.
She also believes that while most people dislike JSO tactics, it still raises awareness of the cause and might even push people to more moderate campaign groups.
Just Stop Oil came behind other, similarly controversial climate campaign groups like Insulate Britain and Extinction Rebellion, and as it says goodbye, its disruptive methods have been seized upon by other organisations like the Pro-Palestinian Youth Justice.
The infamous Just Stop Oil orange vests might be going away, but the individual activists, their cause and campaign tactics feel here to stay.
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