Lottie Tomlinson stunned in black at The Pride Of Britain Awards tonight, mere hours after an emotional homage to the recently deceased Liam Payne. Aged 26 and sister to One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, 32, she graced the red carpet following her touching tribute to Payne, who tragically died last week at 31.
The fashion-forward social media star shone in her chic floor-sweeping dress, beaming as a soon-to-be mother again to her second child, with her committed beau, tennis ace Lewis Burton, 32, looking sharp by her side at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. Gently holding her belly, Lottie mingled with a host of stars while Lewis donned a suave look for the occasion.
Earlier on awards day, Lottie expressed her grief over Liams passing on Instagram. She poignantly shared: "Home with a heavy heart. Rest in peace, Liam, you were loved by so many and will be so greatly missed. Sending so much love to everyone."
Another expression of her profound sadness was posted, a heartrending monochrome snapshot of brother Louis with Payne, simply captioned with a white heart emoji by the Mirror.
Louis himself penned a devastating tribute to his friend and ex-bandmate, admitting on social media: "I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.", reports OK!.
Heaping praise on his former bandmate, Louis said: "I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18; I was instantly amazed by his voice, but more importantly, as time went on, I got a chance to see the kind brother I'd longed all my life for. Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band."
He also shed light on Liam's significant contribution to One Direction: "And for the record, Liam was, in my opinion, the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam."
In the meantime, the Pride of Britain Awards is celebrating a milestone 25th anniversary, recognising extraordinary individuals who exemplify the best of the UK.
A constellation of stars, including revered Oscar winners and hit-making artists, are set to commend the singular achievements of the honourees, spanning brave youngsters to zealous fundraisers and heroic lifesavers.
As these celebrated figures congregate to express their reverence, it's not the usual glitterati from the entertainment, television, film, music, and sports spheres who command the spotlight.
Rather, it's these standout citizens receiving the ovation from celebs, rewarding unsung champions from across the nation.
The awards ceremony, presented by Carol Vorderman and Ashley Banjo, honours the achievements of truly remarkable people who enhance our world and inspire others.
The duo formed a close bond after the ex-Countdown presenter met Ashley's brother, Jordan, in the I'm A Celebrity jungle back in 2016.