TMZ removes images of Liam Payne’s body after public outcry

Tabloid publication TMZ has removed photos of Liam Payne’s body from its website following widespread public outrage.

TMZ was the first publication to report on the death of the former One Direction singer, who died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last night (16 October). He was 31.

Breaking the news, TMZ published two cropped photos of Payne’s tattooed arm and torso on the deck of the hotel courtyard as “confirmation” that it was the “Strip That Down” singer who had fallen from the balcony.

As news of the star’s death spread, so too did fury at the website’s decision to publish the photos.

With TMZ being the first to break the news, fans were “disgusted” at the possibility that Payne’s loved ones could have seen the photos before being told of his death by officials. 

Writing in a succinct post on X/Twitter, Canadian musician Alessia Cara wrote: “You’re gross @TMZ.”

Hacked Off, the press reform campaign which has phone hacking victim Hugh Grant on its board, wrote on social media: “Appalling that one news publisher saw fit to post photos of Liam Payne’s body, among other reports of press intrusion into grief. Critical that news publishers respect the dignity of the person who has died, and the privacy of his loved ones.”

you’re gross @TMZ

— ac (@alessiacara) October 16, 2024

TMZ posting part of a photo of Liam Payne’s dead body in an article announcing his death is beyond deplorable. I can’t tell if I’m losing my mind lately or if society has always been this overtly morally decrepit

— Luc (@ellkay_) October 16, 2024

TV writer Ira Madison III described the publication as “sick” while prominent journalists called for the TMZ website to be “taken down”.

“It should be illegal to do what tmz have done! Frankly! There is no justification or public interest that warrants it,” writer Mollie Goodfellow shared on X/Twitter, while former VICE editor Zing Tsjeng added: “TMZ posting edited pictures of Liam Payne’s body is absolutely vile behaviour and completely indefensible. What were they thinking?”

TMZ once again not having even an ounce of couth or decorum. Disgusting, egregious and unethical behavior on every level.

— jasmine (@goodgirlfaithhh) October 16, 2024

TMZ, once described by Britney Spears as the “trashiest news channel”, has now removed the photos from its website, though they continue to be shared by users on social media.

The publication’s story on Payne’s death has been edited too, now reading: “TMZ has seen a photo showing Liam’s body on the deck at the hotel with tables and chairs nearby.

“You can clearly see his tattoos – a clock on his left forearm, and a scorpion on his abdomen – which helped us confirm early reports from witnesses.”

Liam Payne shot to international stardom as part of The X Factor boyband One Direction in 2010, alongside his band members Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.

In 2017, he fathered his first child, Bear, with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.

At the time of his death, the star had been in the early stages of a legal issue with his former partner Maya Henry, who he began dating in 2019. The couple, who were engaged, split in 2022.

The Daily Mail reported earlier this week that Henry had issued a cease and desist order against Payne, alleging that he was persistently contacting her and her loved ones.

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