BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James pays tribute to Liam Payne calling his death 'unbearably sad'

BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James (left) has paid tribute to Liam Payne (right) (ES Composite)
BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James (left) has paid tribute to Liam Payne (right) (ES Composite)

BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James paid an emotional tribute to Liam Payne at the start of his breakfast show following the singer’s death aged 31.

Opening Thursday’s show, the presenter, 38, said the One Direction star's passing was "unbearably sad news".

"I can't remember Radio 1 without One Direction... They were the first big social media band," he said.

Oasis star Liam Gallagher, 52, also appears to have responded to Payne dying, writing on X: "Life is precious kids and you only get to do it ONCE go easy LG x."

A fan responded to his tweet: "Have you seen the news about Liam Payne?"

Former One Direction star Liam Payne died in Argentina on October 16 (AP)
Former One Direction star Liam Payne died in Argentina on October 16 (AP)

The star then replied: "I have it's very sad."

The Strip That Down hit-maker died in Argentina on Wednesday evening after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, police said.

Payne plunged from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighbourhood resulting in "extremely serious injuries", according to authorities in the South American country's capital. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The circumstances around his death are still being investigated.

Sky News has published a transcript of an emergency call placed by the hotel where Payne was staying prior to his death in which they request help due to a a guest “drunk with drugs and alcohol”.

Liam Payne pictured with his One Direction band mates in 2010 (PA Wire)
Liam Payne pictured with his One Direction band mates in 2010 (PA Wire)

The worker said: “When he [them, gender not clear in conversation] is conscious, he is breaking everything in the room."

They added: “We need to send someone with urgency because I don't know if the guest's life is in danger because he is in a room with balcony, and we are afraid he could do something that threatens life."

One Direction - which also consisted of members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson - became one of the biggest pop groups in the world with five albums and four world tours after being put together by Simon Cowell on the X-Factor in 2010.

The band went on indefinite hiatus after Malik announced his departure in 2015.

All of the members went on to forge solo careers with varying levels of success.

Wolverhampton-born Payne leaves behind seven-year-old Bear from a former relationship with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole, 41.