One Direction singer Liam Payne dead

Liam Payne, a former member of the boy band One Direction, has died aged 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires

Aug 29, 1993: Liam Payne born in Wolverhampton, England

2008: Auditions, aged 14, for ITV talent show The X Factor, but judge Simon Cowell tells him to “come back in two years”

2010: Payne (below, right) rises to fame after audition for fifth season of X Factor with newly formed boy band One Direction, along with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik

Despite not winning competition, One Direction goes on to become one of most successful boy bands of all time, selling more than 70m records worldwide, with hits including What Makes You Beautiful, Night Changes and Steal My Girl

2015: Zayn Malik departs band – others pursue solo careers in 2016

2016: Payne begins relationship with former X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. Couple have son, Bear in 2017, but split up in 2018

2017: Launches solo career with debut single Strip That Down, featuring U.S. rapper Quavo, peaking at number three on Official UK Chart. His collaboration with Rita Ora on song For You – from Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack – also reaches top 10

2020: Gets engaged to model Maya Henry, but they later call it off

2022: Starts relationship with U.S. influencer Kate Cassidy

Oct 2, 2024: Attends Argentina concert of former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan

Oct 16: Hotel calls emergency services. Payne’s body found in courtyard

Sources: Reuters, BBC, The Hollywood Reporter
Pictures: Getty Images
© GRAPHIC NEWS