Perrie Edwards cancels performance in wake of Liam Payne's death as 'heartbroken' family pay tribute

Singer Perrie Edwards has pulled out of an upcoming performance in the wake of Liam Payne's death. The former One Direction star tragically lost his life after a fall from the third floor of a Buenos Aires hotel in the Palermo district.

According to local authorities, the father-of-one suffered a fatal fall into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel on Wednesday (October 16), with medical personnel later confirming he died instantly.

According to police in the capital, officers were initially responding to reports “of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol”.

READ MORE: Liam Payne was 'proud dad' before tragic death as fans support Cheryl and son Bear

His family has since issued a statement via a spokeswoman to the PA news agency and said: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time."

Perrie, who rose to fame on The X Factor like Liam with Little Mix, and was previously engaged to his former bandmate Zayn Malik, had been due to appear on BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge's show tomorrow but the mum-of-one has cancelled her performance following the news of her fellow pop star's death.

Speaking on Radio 1 this morning, hosts Rickie, Melvin and Charlie announced: "We've just had some news on our show that because of the sad news of Liam Payne earlier we have heard that Perrie is not going to be in the Live Lounge tomorrow. She was supposed to be performing but that's now not happening tomorrow but it will be happening at a later date."

The mum-of-one, who is now engaged to footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, spent a lot of time with Liam at the start of her career, the Mirror reports. Perrie won The X Factor with Little Mix in 2010, just one year on from One Direction finishing in third place, and struck up a romance with Liam's bandmate Zayn around the same time.

Zayn popped the question to Perrie in 2013 but the pair announced the end of their engagement in July 2015, just two months on from Zayn quitting One Direction. Perrie stayed linked to Liam's life in the years that followed thanks to forming a close friendship with Cheryl Tweedy, the mother of Liam's seven-year-old son Bear.

Perrie isn't the only person taking some time off work in order to process Liam's death. Britain's Got Talent has put a pause on its filming schedule due to the tragedy. ITV's hit show judges, including Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and guest judge KSI, were spotted at Blackpool Winter Gardens last week, celebrating the kick-off of the new series set to air next year. However, the auditions' filming has been halted in light of Liam's death.

"Simon Cowell has postponed today's Britain's Got Talent auditions in Blackpool following the death of Liam Payne. #BGT," was tweeted out this morning, mere hours after the announcement of Liam's tragic end in Argentina. Fremantle UK, the production company behind Britain's Got Talent, confirmed the postponement.

A statement read: "Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain's Got Talent auditions. Our thoughts are with Liam's friends, family and all who loved him."

Simon Cowell has yet to make a public statement on Liam's passing, despite their close connection. Simon first encountered the aspiring star when Liam was just a teen with big dreams. At the tender age of 14, Liam impressed Simon with his audition for The X Factor in 2008, leading to an invitation to come back two years on. When he returned at 16, Liam started as a solo performer but was soon reshaped into a member of what would become one of the show's most phenomenal success stories One Direction.

Although they charmed fans globally, One Direction only managed third place in the contest, with Rebecca Ferguson and Matt Cardle taking second and first place respectively. In a memorable clip from 2010 when the band was being put together, judge Nicole Scherzinger suggested that Liam "actually may be the leader" as he joined forces with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson.