LIAM Payne’s grieving girlfriend Kate Cassidy has told about the incredible love the singer had for his bandmates and fans.
She says: “Liam loved One Direction. It was such a huge part of his life and career. “Who didn’t love them?
Kate Cassidy reveals the incredible love Liam Payne had for his bandmates and fans[/caption]
Liam Payne’s grieving girlfriend Kate Cassidy[/caption]
Liam with former One Direction bandmates Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan[/caption]
Kate and Liam celebrating his 30th birthday together[/caption]
“I think everybody had hopes for a reunion at some point.
“One Direction was such a huge part of his life and he would have been more than happy in the future to do that.
“He was so proud of the boys. He loved them so much he looked at them as brothers.
“It’s so heartbreaking that the fans will never get to see all five boys back on stage together.
“2030 would have marked 20 years since they first got together and it’s so sad that Liam will never get to relive those memories.”
Liam died in a fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last October. His room was littered with drug paraphernalia and an opened champagne bottle.
The hotel’s manager, a receptionist and Liam’s friend, Roger Nores, have since been charged with manslaughter. A waiter and another hotel worker face drugs charges.
The band — Liam, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik — was put together on the X Factor in 2010, after they had all entered as solo artists.
They came third on the ITV show, behind winner Matt Cardle and runner-up Rebecca Ferguson.
But within two years they were global superstars, headlining New York’s Madison Square Garden, winning awards and selling millions of records.
While other artists have been quick to slam Simon Cowell and the ITV1 talent show, Liam remained forever loyal to the man who discovered him.
He and Simon had met months before his death.
Kate said she and Liam chatted about his time in 1D early in their two-year relationship.
She added: “One of the first films he put on was the One Direction documentary, This Is Us.
“Liam always made the time to go to some of the boys’ concerts to show love and support.
“He spoke so highly of them all.”
Liam and his One Direction bandmates were put together on the X Factor in 2010[/caption]
Kate was interviewed by The Sun’s Clemmie Moodie[/caption]
Liam is all smiles as Kate wraps her arms around him[/caption]
A fortnight before his tragic fall, on October 2, Liam had attended Niall Horan’s gig at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires.
Liam shared a photo of the pair alongside a red heart emoji and the word “reunited”. It sent excitable fans into meltdown.
Liam added cryptically: “It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about and I would like to square up a couple things with the boy. No bad vibes or nothing like that but we just need to talk.”
Liam’s philanthropy
Kate did not say what the 1D pals had discussed, only describing Irishman Niall as “great”.
She added: “It’s just so weird that was the last time Niall saw Liam. You just never know what tomorrow will bring.”
Heartwarming stories of Liam’s philanthropy emerged after his death.
He had quietly volunteered at food banks, donated huge amounts to Go Fund Me pages, and worked with London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children to raise vital funds.
Kate gets emotional as she speaks to Clemmie about Liam[/caption]
Kate reveals how she and Liam chatted about his time in 1D early in their two-year relationship[/caption]
Liam and Kate enjoying a boat trip together[/caption]
Liam also captained England in the annual Soccer Aid charity football match for good causes.
It also turned out he was extraordinarily generous with Directioners even in the weeks leading to his passing when his mental health, it would appear, was struggling.
Despite this, he never let on to his fans — determined to always honour their devotion with kindness and his time.
Kate recalled: “When we were in Argentina, Liam gave up so much time to be with fans.
He loved his fans so much
Kate Cassidy
“Almost every dinner reservation we had planned we were at least two hours late as he’d take the time to speak to all of them.
“We’d leave our hotel and there’d be hundreds — I mean hundreds — of fans outside.
“He spent every second trying to get through each and every fan for a hug and a photo.
“He loved his fans so much. They were so sweet with me as well.
“Dating someone from a boyband can get so much hate and criticism but they were all so lovely to me in Argentina.
Kate reveals how much time Liam gave up to be with his fans[/caption]
“One thing I’ll never forget is while we were meeting fans outside one night, a fan brought one of the Liam Payne Barbie dolls in its box.
“These were sold years ago and then discontinued. I always joked to Liam how I wanted one.
“And when the fan brought out the box for Liam to sign, I got so excited thinking she was giving Liam the doll as a gift.
“Liam then said ‘Kate you don’t need this doll, you have the real-life me,” and I just smiled. After he passed away, I saw a TikTok saying, ‘She doesn’t have him anymore’ and it really struck me.”
Kate also recounted Liam’s excitement at the prospect of his new solo music.
She said of his last single Teardrops, a No3 hit in March 2024: “It is such a good song. I haven’t been able to listen to it since.
“If it comes on the radio I have to change the song. It’s too soon.
“When Teardrops was finished, and before he released it, I decorated the kitchen for Liam and filled it with balloons, gifts, a card and a cake which I made in the shape of a teardrop.
“It was such a happy day and he was so pleased about the surprise.
“It was the little things that made him the happiest and I’m glad I could do that for him.”
Solo Directions
THE One Direction lads have all pursued solo careers since the band’s split in late 2015.
Harry Styles, 31, has been the most successful, performing a stadium tour in 2023 in support of his Grammy-winning album Harry’s House.
Niall Horan, 31, has released three albums — 2017’s Flicker, 2020’s Heartbreak Weather and 2023’s The Show. He completed a world tour a week before Liam’s death.
Zayn Malik, 32, was the first to launch his solo career after quitting the band in March 2015.
He has put out several albums but anxiety had stopped him touring until recently. Louis Tomlinson, 33, was a judge on The X Factor in 2018. In 2022 he went to No1 with second album Faith In Future.
Romance-wise, Harry is believed to be single after his split from actress Taylor Russell last year.
Louis broke up with Eleanor Calder in 2023.
Niall has been dating Amelia Woolley since 2020. Zayn has a daughter, Khai, four, with his model ex, Gigi Hadid.
