Payne, aged 31, died in Buenos Aires last week, plunging from the third floor of a a hotel - Casasur - where he had been staying in the South American city.

Liam Payne's sister explains devastating reason she has so few photos of him

by · Birmingham Live

Liam Payne's sister has shared the heartbreaking reason the family don't have many pictures together. Payne, aged 31, died in Buenos Aires last week, plunging from the third floor of a a hotel - Casasur - where he had been staying in the South American city.

Now, his devastated sisters Ruth and Nicola have paid tribute to the ITV The X Factor star. And Nicola wrote Liam's family have few photos with him because they wanted him to feel relaxed and comfortable in their presence and never like he was "in a room of fans".

She wrote: "We don't have many pictures together as we never really did that as a family, we never wanted you to feel like you were in a room of fans. But we were your biggest fans - always and forever."

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One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016, with Payne starting a solo career the following year. He had several hit singles, including Strip That Down, For You alongside Rita Ora and Get Low featuring Zedd. Payne revealed he’d been in therapy for two years in a 2019 interview.

He said that at the height of One Direction’s fame he began using alcohol and an epilepsy drug as a mood stabiliser to counter the “erratic highs and lows” he was experiencing. “I just needed a little bit of help to keep me stable … it was very touch and go at times,” he said.

Last year, he said in an interview that he’d completed more than three months of sobriety. Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, also posted a tribute on Instagram. “Thank you for all of the kind words and love that has been sent my way,” she wrote. “I have been at a complete loss. Nothing about the past few days have felt real. I ask and pray that you’ll give me the grace and space to navigate this in private.

“Liam, my angel, you are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam.”