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Former One Direction star Liam Payne dies aged 31

Former One Direction member Liam Payne has died at the age of 31 after falling from a balcony in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The star is reported to have fallen from a third of a hotel in the Argentinian capital, police said.

Payne found fame in 2010 on ITV’s The X Factor, where he teamed up with fellow contestants Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson to form One Direction. The group would go on to achieve major global success, notching up a raft of hit records, with their first album Up All Night becoming the fastest selling debut of 2011.

One Direction also amassed over three billion YouTube views and sold in excess if 50 million records internationally, scooping multiple wards, including five BRITs, along the way. Payne would release his debut and only solo album LP1 in 2019.

Payne previously had a relationship with fellow UK pop icon Cheryl Tweedy. They had one son together, Bear Grey, who was born in March 2017.

Tributes to the late start have started to pour in on social media.

Paris Hilton described the news on X, formerly Twitter, as "so upsetting. Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend".

The BRIT Awards posted: “We’re incredibly sad to learn of the tragic passing of Liam Payne. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family at this time.”

Former X Factor contestants Jedward posted: Sending strength to Cheryl and his son Bear and all the One Direction Family. RIP @LiamPayne.”

Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett posted: “Cannot believe what I'm reading about Liam Payne. Absolutely heartbreaking.”

This is a breaking story.

PHOTO: Kenneth Cappello