Liam Payne's heartbreaking three-word realisation as he longed to escape fame

Liam Payne’s family pay tribute after his death

Liam Payne previously spoke on how he always had an escape route before he realised how famous One Direction which lead him to feel trapped by their success.

The late singer shared he had once thought that if the band dominated the UK charts he could emmigrate to Australia, before later realising that would not be a possibility.

Speaking on Logan Paul's podcast back in 2022, he shared: "I thought we would be big in the UK. We started closing down streets in the UK and one little girl broke her leg crossing the road. I thought this is getting a bit strange. I thought if it got too big, I'd move to Australia.

"Then the next day after X Factor, we were told we were going to Australia. My name had already beat me there and that's when I was like, 'Where's the escape?'"

Tragically this month the much loved star was pronounced dead last week after he flew out to see his bandmate Niall Horan in concert.

Liam Payne wanted to escape fame in Australia. (Image: Getty)

His death is still being probed by police in Argentina after he suffered "serious injuries". It is said to have died instantly when he fell from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo just after 5pm on October 16.

Police have been piecing together his last 24 hours, with new claims that his ex-girlfriend had been staying at the same hotel the week he died.

Liam had been in Argentina with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, which she said was scheduled for five days but ended up lasting two weeks.

The 25-year-old TikToker decided to fly home, telling her followers: "I was so ready to leave. Love South America, but I hate staying in one place for too long and we were supposed to be there for five days, turned into two weeks and I was just like, 'I need to go home'.

Liam Payne died in Buenos Aires last week. (Image: Getty)

The hotel manager who called emergency services before Payne fell to his death has claimed the singer's 'ex-partner' was also staying there. Speaking to an Argentinian TV programme, Esteban Grassi said: "He was seen alone but his ex-partner was around."

He was asked: "So she was staying at the hotel too?" He told the El Trece show Telenoche "yes" before adding: "A floor above, yes".

A small clip of the programme featuring part of the interview has been shown online and also mentioned in other Argentinian media outlets. It was not made clear who Mr Grassi was referring to in his claim.

He is understood to have been among three hotel workers prosecutors revealed they had questioned.

In the hours leading up to his death, Payne spent time with Aldana Serrano, 31, and Lucila Goitea, 27, at the hotel. The group arrived at the hotel at about 11.30am local time and headed to Payne's suite.

But they left five hours later at 4pm – just one hour before Payne tragically fell from his balcony. It has also been claimed he was said to be arguing with a woman in the lobby of his hotel over money.

He tragically fell 45ft, landing in the inner courtyard of the hotel. Prosecutors confirmed they had questioned five people, including two women who had been with the late singer for a 'reconstruction of his last hours'.

They said: "He was with two women in his room where there was access to drugs. I'm not going to say their surnames. [Woman A] gave a statement last night and [Woman B] has just finished hers."