The life and death of One Direction star Liam Payne | The Story

On Wednesday night it was announced that Liam Payne had died in Buenos Aires aged 31, where he was on holiday.

What does his death say about the music industry?

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Guest: Will Hodgkinson, chief rock and pop critic, The Times.

Host: Luke Jones.

Further reading: Liam Payne and the curse of too much fame too young

Clips: Sky News, Times Radio, X Factor, Columbia / Syco

Photo: Getty Images

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[GlitteratiRiot]

Very interesting conversation about seeing how this all unfolded in a cultural context and how everything effects everything else.

[juns]

So young, so talented, so tragic. I feel for his son and his loved ones. RIP Liam...fly high... <3

[JohnJones-mztc]

He was the John Lemon of our generation....give piece a chance ☮️☮️☮️

[darthmaul]

The one thing I’d disagree with in this interview is Liam being the inevitable solo star. Maybe he was told that in private or maybe they all were, that’s impossible to know. Now I’m not a One Ditection fan, but from afar it always seemed like Harry to me. Most press, good looking, famous girlfriends etc. I never thought it would be Liam.

I’ve listened to an interview Liam did on Diary of a CEO which had some interesting insights. He speaks of going on X-Factor when he was 14 and being rejected. Even though he didn’t get past the auditions, he became famous in his home town as an ‘X-Factor reject.’ That is a lot for a 14 year old to deal with. Also he said that the best way management could deal with 5 energetic 16-17 year olds was to lock them in their hotel rooms alone. He turned to the mini bar. It’s such a sad situation.

[iainholmes]

Excellent analysis. Cheers. Best wishes to Liam's loved ones.

[rpb]

Media are way too keen - they signed up at 16, made a fortune and were bored to death, literally afterwards.

You talk about 16 being delicate with pressure and hardwork - think of all the 16 yr olds who leave school to work in a hotel, or a bar - staring down the barrel of 50 years of low wage employment struggling through life. Talk to me about mental health of they people before multi-millionaires who chose to be there and get treated like kings where ever they go.

[Anna-skek]

Excellent analysis. Thank you. The only point I disagree with is the parallel with the Beatles. One Direction rose at same.time as Twitter and i believe this in itself was smthg unique in terms of how fans cld communicate with their idols, etc.

[deannalassiter]

I don't doubt Liam had a drug problem however the fact that sketchy hotel employees could be involved. It's been coming out in the US that these celebrities experiencing erratic behavior have been drugged and no one questions a death because they automatically think it's his usage. The first 911, they were disconnected. He was unconscious when he went over the balcony 😢

[patriciapyper]

It is so sad sending lo to his family and friends ♥️ 🌹 ve ❤️❤️🌹🌹

[ryanjames]

Luke stop making videos trying to monetise on YouTube from a death. Wrongun!

[mkubeok]

Each and every celebrity having this stuff that’s why they died early success they can’t handle it

[entropyachieved]

Long story short, when someone yells do a back flip don't 😂😂😂

[turquoiseblue]

It is known that Liam was in the lobby of the hotel acting erratically and in an uncontrollable combative drug and alcohol induced state, in which hotel staff had to physically take him to his room, right? The autopsy also revealed that he was unconscious when his body impacted the ground where he landed. That he died instantly due to multiple craniel fractures and internal and external bleeding from the impact, and that due to his state of unconsciousness, there aren't any defensive injuries present, like there normally would be in a state of consciousness.
So if he was unconscious when he hit the floor, doesn't that mean he was unconscious when his body went over the balcony? Well there you go, he can't jump a balcony or fall off of a balcony if he is already unconscious. So that leaves me with only one and that is that he was probably combative with the hotel staff that took him back to his room, there was a scuffle of some kind, his head was impacted with an object that made him unconscious, the guy or guys panicked and threw him over the balcony, and nonchalantly went back to the lobby and pretended like nothing had happened and then proceeded to call 911 and started the cover up by asking for an ambulance because they were very concerned about his mental state and safety, in particular about his room having a balcony and him going over it. They did'nt ask for police, they asked for an ambulance, because they knew he was already hurt and likely dead!!!!

[joycejnn]

Looks like he couldn’t cope with not being famous anymore

[ruthietube]

Only a male would claim harry styles wasn't supposed to be the star and only got big because of the change in culture.. lol

[mrfish]

Agree
The best voice
Simon couldn’t stand his talent
There is something about Simon
He has decided at the addition you are not going to make it
I will prove to you that you are not that good as you really are
Can’t stand jealous people and he is the largest of them unfortunately the very influential one
It took me long time to analyse his approach to talented artists who believe in his good intentions
RIP Liam

[FishandHunt]

A washed up pop star drugged up and goes crazy. Sad for his family and friends but it must be a slow news week.

[LưuTrọngNhân-ti]

I tried to recreate a scene from a romance novel where they make love on a beach at sunset. It ended with us getting sand in places sand should never go💕