By Danielle Broadway
(Reuters) – Members of Liam Payne’s One Direction band said in a joint statement on Thursday that they were “absolutely devastated” by the news of his death.
Payne, who rose to global fame with boy band One Direction, died at the age of 31 after falling from the balcony of a third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, sparking an outpouring of tributes from fans around the world.
The statement was signed by singers Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan.
“With time and when everyone can, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to mourn and process the loss of our brother, whom we loved very much,” added Payne’s former bandmates.
They also said that the memories they shared with him would remain in their minds forever.
“For now, our thoughts are with his family, friends and fans who loved him with us. We will miss him terribly. We love you, Liam,” the statement concluded.
Malik also posted on Instagram about the late singer along with a photo of them falling asleep next to each other.
“I lost my brother when you left us and I can’t explain to you what I would give to hug you one last time,” he wrote.
Auditions for “Britain’s Got Talent” in Blackpool, England, have been postponed until Thursday “due to the tragic death of Liam Payne,” Applause Store, the ticket provider for the show, said in an Instagram story.
