'Liam was such a lovely, outgoing, energetic fella and he was just so nice and so bubbly': Former X Factor star Eoghan Quigg pays tribute to Liam Payne
Former X Factor star Eoghan Quigg has spoken of his "complete devastation" at the passing of Liam Payne at the age of 31.
Payne died of multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage”, as a result of a fall from the balcony of a hotel's third-floor in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday.
Reports say staff at the hotel made two calls to emergency services, with audio revealing a staff member had asked for assistance for a guest who was “intoxicated by drugs and alcohol”.
Police in the Argentine capital said the music star’s hotel room had been “in complete disarray” with “various items broken”.
Payne rose to fame aged 16 as part of One Direction alongside Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Harry Styles, who went on to become a global sensation after the band finished third on The X Factor in 2010.
Two years earlier, Liam and Eoghan were both on the show in 2008, making it to the Judge's Houses section of the competition before Liam was eliminated.
Speaking on social media, Dungiven native Eoghan spoke about how Liam’s family helped him on the show.
"I met Liam back when I was 15-years-old and he was 14. It was 2008 at the X Factor and we got to know each other through boot camp,” he said.
"We realised we had quite a lot in common and we both liked football and we were a similar age.
"We both got through boot camp and went to the judge's houses together and we went to Barbados.
"Because I just turned 16, I wasn't required to have a chaperone so I had to go on my own...and my mum couldn't go.
"Liam was still that bit younger and his mum Karen came along. I have to say that I wouldn't have gotten through that trip without her.
"I had four days away on my own on the other side of the world and she is one of the nicest women in the world.
"She made sure I was fed and watered and topping up my sunscreen at all times. I don't know how I'd have gotten through that stage of the show if it wasn't for them.
"Waking up this morning (Thursday) to the news is absolute shock. It is complete devastation.
"Liam was such a lovely, outgoing, energetic fella and he was just so nice and so bubbly.
"He kept the vibes really good and my heart goes out to Karen and his friends and family.”