Zayn Malik 'in bits' over Liam Payne's death as loved ones do not want him to be alone, reveals source

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: Zayn Malik is reportedly devastated and in shock following the sudden death of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.

Payne tragically died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday evening, October 16.

Zayn Malik 'surrounded by friends' after Liam Payne's tragic death

A US music producer close to Malik shared exclusively how the 'Pillowtalk' singer has reacted to the heartbreaking news, according to Daily Mail.

"Zayn was told in the early hours of this morning and has been in absolute bits," revealed the source.

Malik’s loved ones are making sure he is not alone during this difficult time. "People close to Zayn don’t want him to be alone at the moment, so he is surrounded by friends," the source added.

Zayne Malik and Liam Payne's complicated relationship, but mutual respect

Zayn Malik and Liam Payne rose to global fame together as members of One Direction after competing as solo artists on 'The X Factor' in 2010.

Though the duo had drifted apart in recent years, the source emphasized that there was still respect between the two former bandmates.

"It had been a while since Zayn and Liam had spoken due to issues they had with one another in the past, but they respected each other from a distance," explained the insider.

"They didn’t hate each other, but they couldn’t see eye to eye on different things," the insider noted.

In a 2016 interview, shortly after Malik left the group in 2015, he mentioned that Payne was the bandmate he was closest to at the time.

"We talk on the phone. He congratulated me on my single, which was nice," said Malik said.

However, by 2022, tensions appeared to have escalated, with Payne revealing in a podcast interview that there were “many reasons why I dislike Zayn.”

Despite this statement, Payne also acknowledged that he would “always be on his side.”

Liam Payne’s tragic fall in Buenos Aires

Liam Payne was declared dead after falling 45 feet from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires’s Palermo neighborhood.

Authorities confirmed that the singer died instantly from multiple injuries, including a fractured skull.

Payne had been staying in Argentina following a concert by his ex-bandmate Niall Horan earlier in the month which he attended with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

Cassidy had returned home just two days prior to the accident, explaining in a TikTok video that she "needed to go home" while Payne opted to remain in Buenos Aires.