Michael Buerk faces backlash after branding Liam Payne a ‘drugged up, light, boy band singer’ as he condemns BBC’s protection of singer’s demise

Michael Buerk has faced a backlash after he described the late Liam Payne as a ‘drugged up, faded, boy band singer’.

The One Direction musician, 31, died after he fell 45ft to his death from a Buenos Aires hotel balcony on October 16.

But Buerk, 78, a former newsreader and Moral Maze presenter, took exception to the BBC‘s coverage of the tragic death.

Asked on the Radio 4’s Today programme about how television journalism had changed, he said: ‘There was more of an appetite for seriousness. It was only last week this programme decided that the most important thing that had happened in the world was that a drugged up, faded, boy band singer had fallen off a balcony.’

‘Even the 10 O’clock News, which is normally good on these things, thought it was the second most important thing that happened in the world.’

The insensitive comments faced criticism from listeners of the BBC programme.

Jenny Landreth wrote on X: ‘Blimey. Michael Buerk on #R4today expressing his surprise that the death of a ‘drugged up fading boyband member’ led the news. He seemed so … disdainful.’

She added: ‘There was no need for him to be so dismissive, it just felt sneery.’

Stand-up comic and novelist Jenny Eclair, simply replied: ‘Urgh’.

Another listener wrote: ‘As soon as I heard this on BBC Radio 4 I was sure Michael Buerk would be trending unfavorably.’

One critic of Mr Buerk said that he was ‘stuck in the past’, and compared the journalist to ‘a dinosaur’.

The former foreign correspondent’s comments were defended by some.

Richard Butterworth wrote on social media: ‘Thanks, Mr Buerk, for putting into perspective on R4 the hyperbole over Liam Payne. While not wishing to speak ill of the dead, or belittle the grief of the deceased’s young followers, the media overkill attending Payne’s misadventure at such a momentous time was ridiculous.’

Mr Buerk, who took part in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2014, made the controversial remarks on the 40th anniversary of his Ethiopian famine reports.

Asked about the change in television news, he told presenter Amol Rajan: ‘We didn’t have the 24-hour news cycle, which means reporters spend a lot more of their time on rooftops opinionizing rather than finding out what the story is.’

‘I think there was a wider agenda and wider appetite. If you look at the news these days, they seem to be hammering away at the same half dozen stories. Well whole continents go unmentioned for months after months.’

Payne rose to fame as a member of One Direction, one of the most popular boy bands in history. The group was formed on reality competition series The X Factor in 2010, where Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson each auditioned as solo acts before joining the five-piece group.

The singer was pronounced dead on October 16, after emergency services responded to a hotel manager’s call about an ‘aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.’

The final days of the One Direction star will be explored in a Hulu documentary which will air later today. 

The special, titled One Direction: Liam Payne’s Final Days, will feature interviews with former X Factor contestants including Mary Byrne.

Tributes have flooded in for the late singer and vigils have been held across the world in London, Glasgow, Paris, Sydney and New York to celebrate his life. 

Earlier this week, Argentine police and prosecutors investigating the tragedy said they were treating the star’s death as ‘inconclusive’. 

Preliminary results from toxicology tests of Mr Payne’s remains found traces of cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack cocaine and ‘pink cocaine’ — a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA. 

While tests on the substances — white powder, traces of chemical crystals and prescription medicines — found at his suite at the boutique hotel continue, results from a post mortem of his body have been completed.

It determined that the singer died instantly from multiple injuries after falling 45ft from the third floor. 

Argentine news website Infobae reported: ‘A forensic study carried out in Liam’s body determined the presence of cocaine.

‘A test carried out by the [Buenos Aires] City Police on the substance found on Liam’s room table have not confirmed the white powder as cocaine.

‘A second test is to follow to determine the nature of the drug.’

Mr Payne’s body will not be released to his father Geoff Payne until all examinations have been concluded, according to Argentine judicial sources. 

Mr Payne Snr is expected to stay in Buenos Aires until he can bring back his son’s body in person.

A funeral is expected to take place in Britain in November.

Meanwhile, more than 65,000 people have signed a petition calling for new legislation, known as ‘Liam’s Law,’ to protect the mental health of artists in the music industry following the death of Liam Payne.

The proposed law would mandate regular mental health check-ups, sufficient rest periods and the availability of mental health professionals on set, as well as ongoing support throughout an artist’s career. 

The petition, launched anonymously on October 18 by a fan named Day KV on Change.org, states: ‘The entertainment industry must be held accountable and take responsibility for the well-being of its artists.

‘Resultant issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, substance misuse and even suicide are alarmingly high.

‘According to research, performers are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from these issues compared to the general population.’

‘Such a law would necessitate regular mental health check-ups, adequate rest periods, and the presence of mental health professionals on-set, including any ongoing support during their career.

‘It will ensure a healthier, safer, and more conducive working environment for artists to cultivate their talents reducing psychological distress.

‘This would also include early interventions to protect and minimise before it’s too late. It adds: ‘Your signature could be a lifeline for these talented individuals, contributing to a larger movement of mental health awareness and care in industries worldwide.

‘Please, sign the petition.’