Dad Geoff Payne greets fans as Cheryl pays tribute to him

Liam Payne's father watched the memorial service outside the hotel where his son died, the star's former partner Cheryl tells her son Bear must “face the reality of never seeing his father again.”

Payne, 31, died Wednesday when he fell from the balcony of the third-floor hotel room where he had been staying in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In Argentina, Geoff Payne was followed by a horde of photographers when he visited the hotel, prompting fans to shout at the press and attempt to block the building's entrance to prevent them from entering.

Mr Payne traveled to Buenos Aires after his son's death and the journey from his hotel to the Casa Sur Hotel was broadcast on Argentine television despite the family's request for privacy.

Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, who was in a relationship with Payne from 2016 to 2018, also criticized the “disgusting” media coverage following his death.

Cheryl posted on Instagram: “As I try to come to terms with this earth-shattering event and process my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I would like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being.”

Along with her statement, Cheryl shared a black and white picture of Payne with her son Bear and a broken heart emoji.

Payne's sister Ruth Gibbins emotionally described him as her “best friend”. Instagram post on Saturday, vowing that the family “will take care of Bear.”

“My brain is struggling to keep up with what's happening and I don't understand where you went,” she added.

Cheryl also said she was worried her seven-year-old son had access to “vile reports and media exploitation” and she would not be able to protect him from it in the future.

“What concerns me most is the fact that Bear will one day have access to the vile reports and media exploitation we have seen over the last two days,” she added.

“I ask you to consider what benefit some of these reports have, other than causing further harm to those left behind to pick up the pieces.

“Before you leave comments or create videos, ask yourself whether you want your own child or family to read them.”

At the end of her statement, the 41-year-old urged people to give Payne “what little dignity he left behind after his death so that he can finally rest in some peace.”

The honor came as Geoff Payne paused to read out tributes to his son outside the Casa Sur Hotel and thank the gathered fans.

When he arrived, fans at the venue put up a barrier between him and the cameras, and some told the BBC afterwards that they wanted to make sure he had space.

Bianca Gallorini, who helped organize the makeshift barrier, said fans wanted to give Mr Payne “a moment” to “express his feelings and see how much we love Liam”.

Mr Payne had previously visited the mortuary in Buenos Aires to formally identify his son so that arrangements could be made for his body to be flown back to the UK.

A federal prosecutor told the BBC that Payne's body had been “released”, meaning no further tests would be carried out and identification could take place. The investigation into his death is ongoing.

It is not yet known when Payne's body will be returned to the UK.

Fans gathered in Liverpool on Saturday afternoon to hold a vigil to mourn the One Direction singer.

Elsewhere, people gathered in the singer's hometown Wolverhampton for a vigil on Friday evening.

Simon Cowell, who put the group together on The X Factor in 2010, previously paid tribute to Payne himself, saying he was “heartbroken” and feeling “empty” following the singer's death.

Cowell remembered Payne as “kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful (and) talented.”

In a post on Instagram, Cowell added: “And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I shed is a memory of you.”

Payne's friend Kate Cassidy also paid tribute to the star, whom she called “my angel,” adding that she was “completely at a loss.”

“You are everything,” she said in a statement.

“I want you to know that I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life.”

In Cowell's statement, he also recalled Payne's first X Factor audition in 2008 at the age of 14, when Cowell told the aspiring singer he wasn't ready and would come back in two years.

“A lot of people would have given up. You didn't do it. You came back and within a few months the whole world would know Liam.”

“And you never forgot the fans. I saw you spending so much time with people who wanted to meet you. It really meant something to you.”

Cowell eventually signed One Direction to his label and was the foundation of their global success before they split in 2016.

The music mogul also revealed that Payne visited him last year “just to sit and talk,” adding that they “remembered all the fun times we had together.”

Also on Friday, Payne's bandmate Niall Horan posted a tribute, saying he was “completely devastated” by the “death of his great friend.”

Singer Katie Waissel, who starred alongside One Direction on the 2010 series The X Factor, described the music industry as “very manipulative, coercive and deconstructive” and said: “It sucks the soul out of people.”

Speaking to Stephen Nolan on BBC Radio 5 Live, Waissal, who did it She has long advocated for better support for those appearing on televisioncriticized the amount of money given to those who appear on shows such as The X Factor.

US singer Bruce Springsteen made similar comments the Daily Telegraph that the industry “puts enormous pressure on young people,” adding that they “don’t yet have the inner self to protect themselves from many of the things that come with success and fame.”

Springsteen said he understands this “very well” from his own experience, having had “his own battles with different things.”