Dermot O’Leary remembers ‘enormous strain’ on Liam Payne earlier than his loss of life

Dermot O’Leary has reflected on the ‘huge pressure’ fame put Liam Payne under as he opened up about his shock death.

The former One Direction member, 31, reportedly fell from the third floor of CasaSur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires shortly after 5pm on Wednesday evening. 

Dermot, 51, was host of the X Factor when a then 14-year-old Liam auditioned for the show in 2008, before the singer went on to reach meteoric fame when he joined One Direction during his second stint on the show two years later. 

Speaking during a video appearance on Thursday’s This Morning, Dermot recalled the enormous pressure Liam must of felt being part of the biggest boyband in the world at the time, before emotionally remarking that ‘no parent should have to lose a child’.

Meanwhile, Capital Radio’s Sian Welby fought back tears on the show as she paid an emotional tribute to ‘wonderful’ Liam.

Speaking to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, Dermot told how he last saw Liam at Soccer Aid in 2022, saying of the Strip That Down hitmaker: ‘He always beautifully wide-eyed about the world and his place in it and fame –  it was such a huge amount of pressure to be put on young shoulders’.

Dermot then went on to discuss the attention that being part of One Direction brought to Liam and the boys, stating: ‘He’s been not just famous but had worldwide fame for half his life which is incredible amount of time for that much pressure’.

Struggling with his emotions, the father-of-one added: ‘I just thought of his family, I thought of his son and then I thought of his parents. I mean no parent should have to bury their son or their daughter.

‘Obviously our thoughts and our prayers, our candles are half-lit for his family. That goes without saying.’

Going on to pay tribute to Liam’s parents Karen and Geoff, Dermot – who had earlier paid tribute to the star – recalled forming a close bond with the families of contestants during his stint hosting the ITV programme. 

He shared: ‘Obviously I am really sad and our hearts go out to his family who we grew really close to. We got to know their families so well in such a short space of time.

‘His mum and dad were just adorable. They were very territorial over him. They were never pushy. This was very much his dream which he loved.’

Meanwhile, later on This Morning, Capital Radio host Sian Welby, 38, paid tribute to the star as she told of the ‘devastating, tragic start’ to the show having to deliver ‘the worst news’ to many fans who had grown up with One Direction.

Discussing the topic of Liam’s death on her radio show, she shared: ‘We’ve all been sharing stories about loss and it’s been a real bonding moment with us and our listeners because we’ve all come together.’

Becoming visibly emotional, she went on: ‘This is the thing, when you start opening up and talking about loss… it’s been a very healing process this morning. We’ve all managed to bond over something despite it being tragic circumstances.

‘It’s been an honour to be able to be a part of that today and I’m very grateful to those who’ve been listening to our show today and come together.’ 

Sian added that the late singer was ‘wonderful’ with a ‘kind energy’, who ‘helped and inspired so many people in a short time.’

Liam died in Buenos Aires after falling from a hotel. Several witnesses said Payne had fallen from his room at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel shortly after 5pm (ART) Wednesday evening. 

The English star rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, alongside his former bandmates Harry, 30, Niall Horan, 31, Zayn Malik, 31, and Louis Tomlinson, 32. 

The popstar had reportedly arrived in the Latin American country earlier this month to attend his ex bandmate Horan‘s concert.

Local police have since launched an investigation into the sudden death, as tributes flood in the wake of the tragedy. 

A statement from local police said they arrived to the hotel after they were ‘informed of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol’.

Officials heard a loud sound in the courtyard before discovering his body just after 5pm, reported the BBC.

According to TMZ, Liam ‘had been acting erratic in the hotel lobby and smashed his laptop’ before he ‘had to be carried back to his room’.

Police had received a call from a worker at the hotel requesting urgent help with an intoxicated guest, according to audio related to the case obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry.

‘When he is conscious he is destroying the entire room and we need you to send someone,’ the worker said.

Emergency medical services director Alberto Crescenti said Liam had suffered ‘very serious injuries after falling from a third floor into an internal courtyard’.

‘We verified his identity using the passport he had,’ he said.

‘Afterwards we found out he had been a famous singer. Unfortunately the injuries he had suffered as a result of the fall proved to be fatal. There was no possibility of resuscitating him.’ 

Mr Crescenti told Argentine newspaper Clarin that ‘the team saw that he apparently had a fracture at the base of the skull’.

His body was transported to a local morgue where a post-mortem examination will be carried out.

Unverified pictures have since emerged online claiming to be Liam’s hotel room completely trashed with one image showing a smashed television screen.