Louis Tomlinson recalls moment he found out Liam Payne had died with tragic admission about his late sister

Almost a year on from Liam Payne's death, former bandmate Louis Tomlinson has made a heartbreaking revelation about the moment he first caught wind of the tragic news.

Payne, 31, fell from the third-floor balcony window of a Buenos Aires hotel in Argentina on 16 October last year. Days earlier, he'd been attending the tour of another One Direction member, Niall Horan.

Coroners later determined that the father-of-one - who shared seven-year-old son Bear with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole - had died of multiple traumas, including internal and external bleeding.

In the weeks that followed, each of Payne's former bandmates - Horan, Tomlinson, Harry Styles and Zayn Malik - issued heartfelt tributes in the 'Strip That Down' singer's honour. The group also attended the star's UK funeral together.

Payne's former bandmates each issued tributes online (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Now, with the first anniversary of Payne's death on the horizon, 33-year-old Tomlinson has given a tell-all interview to Diary of a CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett, during which he recalled his initial devastation.

Looking back on how and when he first learned the gut-wrenching news, the 'Just Hold On' hit-maker revealed he was 'in the car, in LA'.

"I found out through Niall," Tomlinson explained, comparing his shock to how he'd felt on learning about his sister Félicité's death in 2019.

The father-of-one added of Payne: "When I put up my post about him - I really wanted him to be remembered the way that he should be remembered.

"I could just go on and talk all day about how amazing he was, but I think we all looked up to him.

Tomlinson recalled the moment he learned of Payne's death (Diary of a CEO)

"I don’t think we would have been brave enough to say at that age when I was in the band, I think I would’ve had too much pride, but we all looked up to him massively."

At the time of Payne's passing, Louis wrote in an Instagram post: "I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.

"I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.

"Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band.

"And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing.

Tomlinson attended Payne's funeral in November (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

"The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam."

Elsewhere during his latest interview, Tomlinson related his grief over Payne's passing to the loss of both his mother Johannah Deakin, who died of leukaemia in 2016 - and his younger sister, Félicité, who died of an accidental overdose aged 18 in 2019.

"I had the same feeling that I had with Félicité," the Doncaster-born star recalled witnessing Payne struggle with his mental health over the years prior to his death. "And I think anyone has this when they’re around someone who’s struggling - my 150 percent wasn’t nearly enough."

Tomlinson added that Payne was 'definitely struggling at that time in his life', adding: "And that’s when it’s my own arrogance thinking that I could have helped really, because it was so much deeper than what I could have done for him."

• Harry Styles makes sad admission about coping with Liam Payne's death
• Hilary Duff makes rare admission on 'complicated' relationship with estranged sister Haylie
• Louis Theroux names the 'worst' person he's ever met following Manosphere documentary
• Liam Payne update as friend has all charges dropped following singer's tragic death