One Direction band members gather in England for Liam Payne’s funeral
London (CNN) — Mourners will gather to remember Liam Payne in England on Wednesday, according to PA Media, after the British singer died last month.
Close family of Payne, 31, and his former One Direction band members are among those expected to attend the funeral, PA Media reported. The service will be held in an undisclosed location outside of London.
The British singer died on October 16 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system, according to the country’s public prosecutor’s office, which launched an investigation. Three people are facing preliminary charges for crimes related to his death.
The musician spoke publicly about his challenges with substance abuse and his mental health. In the summer of 2023, he said he was marking six months of sobriety after completing treatment in a US facility. Later that year, he delayed his tour after suffering a kidney infection.
Payne soared to global fame as part of One Direction, the group that was created on the British talen show “The X Factor” in 2010.
He and his former colleagues – Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson – subsequently embarked on solo careers, after going on an “indefinite hiatus” in 2016.
The quartet were “completely devastated” over his death, according to a joint statement on Instagram.
“We will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly,” Malik, Styles, Horan and Tomlinson posted on social media. “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.
“We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”