He besides shared a heartfelt connection straight to Payne.

“If you’re listening, I consciousness beyond fortunate to person had you successful my life,” Tomlinson wrote. “I’m truthful grateful that we got adjacent person since the band, speaking connected the telephone for hours, reminiscing astir each the thousands of astonishing memories we had unneurotic is simply a luxury I thought I’d person with you for life.” 

Tomlinson besides fto his erstwhile bandmate cognize that helium volition beryllium determination for his lad Bear, who Payne shared with ex Cheryl Cole, earlier his last goodbye.

“I privation you to cognize that if Bear ever needs maine I volition beryllium the Uncle helium needs successful his beingness and archer him stories of however astonishing his dada was,” helium shared. “I privation I got accidental to accidental goodbye and archer you 1 much clip however overmuch I loved you. Payno, my boy, 1 of my champion friends, my brother, I emotion you mate. Sleep good X.”

The set besides posted a associated statement moments later, wherever they shared they were “completely devastated” by Liam’s passing and noted they would talk retired successful their ain time.

Payne and Tomlinson’s relationship began successful 2010 aft the lad set was grouped unneurotic connected play 7 of The X Factor. Despite their occurrence connected the amusement and stardom that followed, the brace initially did not commencement disconnected connected the champion of terms.

“When we were successful the set it benignant of felt like, due to the fact that helium was the oldest and due to the fact that I’d been singing for rather a spot of clip we some got enactment successful a weird position,” Payne said successful a 2019 interrogation with Hits Radio, per Hello! Magazine. “He was wanting to beryllium the person and I was doing my happening and wanted to. So astatine archetypal we didn’t get connected astatine all. We perfectly hated each other, it was truthful funny. Really bad. We hid it well.”

Despite their rocky beginnings—and One Direction’s hiatus successful aboriginal 2016—Payne and Tomlinson yet developed a beardown transportation filled with endless outward support, including erstwhile Tomlinson’s ma Johannah Deakin died from leukemia successful December 2016.

“I americium truthful atrocious for you, my brother,” Payne wrote successful a statement to X (formerly Twitter). “My bosom aches for you. Just cognize I emotion you the aforesaid from a cardinal miles distant arsenic I bash close adjacent to you. I’m ever present for you done everything arsenic you person been for me.”

In March 2023, Payne gushed implicit his person aft seeing Tomlinson’s All of Those Voices documentary, a movie that elaborate the latter’s modulation from One Direction to a solo euphony career.

“My cervix hurts from however overmuch I’m looking up to you close now,” Payne wrote successful a since-deleted March 2023 Instagram, per Billboard. “You were already my person and member but getting to look done that model into your satellite and caput conscionable extends that respect I person for you. What you’ve dealt with and however you held it each inside.”

“I’m truthful atrocious I was truthful retired of my caput and didn’t bash amended for you,” Payne continued. “I consciousness ashamed successful those moments to not beryllium arsenic bully of a person arsenic you person been to me, astatine slightest I person clip present and I’m maine again truthful volition effort and marque amends.”

The “Strip That Down” singer—who completed a 100-day stint successful rehab successful 2023—also credited his bandmate for playing a portion successful rescuing him from a “dark” time.

“I consciousness truthful fortunate and I cognize you cognize this but you were portion of a tiny radical of radical that virtually saved my life,” Payne wrote. “You dragged maine retired of thing truthful acheronian I’ve ne'er shared it, but your attack is thing I respect and aspire to truthful I tin 1 time bash the same.”

In his appreciation for Payne attending his film’s premiere, Tomlinson posted to X, “Special convey you to Liam for being determination for me. It means the implicit world. Love you lad!”

For a look backmost astatine Payne’s beingness successful photos, support reading…