Niall Horan 'devastated' over former One Direction bandmate and 'amazing friend' Liam Payne's death

Niall Horan has paid an emotional tribute to former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, saying he is "absolutely devastated" at the loss of his "amazing friend".

Payne, 31, died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, where he had been to see Horan's show earlier in the month.

In a post on Instagram on Friday, Horan said he will "cherish every moment" they had together, and the news of his passing "doesn't feel real".

He wrote on Instagram: "I'm absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn't feel real.

"Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure.

"All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness. We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn't happen often in a lifetime.

"I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn't know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It's heartbreaking.

"My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course his son Bear. Thank you for everything, Payno. Love you brother."

Payne went to the concert with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, and posted a long thread of videos to his Snapchat stories documenting the night, including one of the couple dancing.

The band posted a joint statement after Liam Payne's death, saying they are "completely devastated" by the loss of their "brother". It was the first post on the band's Instagram account in four years.

In a separate statement, Louis Tomlinson, 32, wrote that Payne was “the most vital part of One Direction” and added that he would be telling his young son Bear “stories of how amazing his dad was”.

Elsewhere, Zayn Malik said he never got to thank him for supporting him through "some of the most difficult times", and that he respected Payne, despite "butting heads" a few times.

While Harry Styles said "Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve", and the years they spent together will remain "the most cherished" of his life.

Former The X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has taken shot at the music industry for failing Payne, saying "we all let you down".

In a post on Instagram, she wrote: "Liam, my heart aches. We all let you down".

She continued: "Where was this industry when you needed them?

"You were just a kid when you entered one of the toughest industries in the world.

"Who was in your corner? Rest in peace my friend".

Osbourne was a judge on the first three series of The X Factor from 2004 to 2007, but had left when Payne appeared on the show.

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