Robbie Williams, the former Take That star, and Katie Waissel from The X Factor have joined forces in advocating for better care and support for young artists following the tragic death of Liam Payne.
Liam, who rose to fame as a member of One Direction, died aged 31 on Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The incident is currently under investigation by local prosecutors as an "inconclusive death". Katie, who competed on The X Factor alongside Payne and his bandmates in 2010, took to Instagram to express her condolences: "Liam, I am so deeply sorry for all that you went through."
She also shared a heartfelt tribute, saying, "Your spirit will live on in the hearts of so many, and your story will continue to be told. The change the industry so desperately needs will come, and we will honour your legacy until it does. Keep singing in the sky, my friend."
Katie, who has battled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and returned to performing after a hiatus, remembered Liam as "kind, with a pure heart, a sharp mind, and the wisdom of an old soul" and someone whose presence "left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him".
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Paramount Pictures via Getty Ima)Liam has previously admitted to battling alcoholism during his high-flying days, confessing that he had hit "rock bottom" in a candid chat with The Diary Of A CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett. In 2023, he shared the news of his sobriety post-rehab. Robbie, echoing a message of compassion on social media after Liam's passing, also stressed to Deadline the need for safeguarding young celebrities. He commented: "Nothing seems to change and if isn’t me, then who? ... I am the problem if I do nothing. We are the problem if we don’t."
Fellow X Factor star Rebecca Ferguson also spoke out in the wake of his death. Taking to X in the now deleted post, Rebecca, 38, who appeared on the X Factor at the same time as Liam in 2010, reached out to her followers in an emotional plea. She wrote: "Don’t aspire to be famous and don’t push your kids to be famous, it’s such an illusion it’s a brilliant distraction from everything and anything that is real! I knew when I first went to celebrity parties that I didn’t fit in, everybody wanted to be a sample size nobody ate." The post is now no longer available.
It came after she recalled the first time she met the late singer and claimed if he hadn't auditioned for the popular ITV show, he would still be alive today. In an emotional tribute ,she penned: "It's always a hotel room! We both met at Euston station and shared the taxi together to X Factor. I can't help but think of that boy who was hopeful and looking forward to his bright future ahead. If he hadn't jumped on that train and jumped in that taxi I believe he would be alive today."
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