Liam Payne’s friend makes huge claim about time spent with star hours before his death

Roger Nores, a friend of late One Direction star Liam Payne, has appeared on US television claiming the singer was “happy” and “perfectly balanced” just an hour before his tragic death in Argentina.

The Argentinian businessman, who met Payne at a Vogue event in London in 2020, has spoken out about the star’s final hours.

Nores was one of the last people to see Payne before the singer’s fatal fall from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last October.

In a TMZ documentary, Nores describes Payne’s sociable demeanour during his final hours.

“He was in good spirits. He was like talking to 10 or 15 Americans that were here for a wedding. And so he was talking to them, and he was joking around,” Nores said.

He recounts leaving the hotel at “4:05 or so” with Payne appearing to be in good form.

“He was perfectly balanced, like talking to everybody, having fun, laughing, so nothing out of the ordinary,” Nores said.

Nores has faced allegations of abandoning Payne in his final hours, which he strongly denies.

“I went to a hotel three times to check on him. During that morning, he seemed tipsy, but nothing out of the ordinary,” he insisted during the documentary.

Reports had suggested Payne was intoxicated and unruly before his fall, with a hotel employee calling emergency services prior to his death.

No charges of abandonment have been filed against Nores, who is reportedly one of five people under investigation by Argentinian authorities.

The documentary, titled “TMZ Investigates: Liam Payne: Who’s to Blame?”, is set to air on FOX in the United States on Monday night at 1am BST.

Payne, aged 31, died on 16 October after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires.

The programme aims to investigate who could be responsible for the singer’s death, with TMZ’s Harvey Levin directly questioning Nores about the star’s final moments.

The music world was left devastated by Payne’s sudden passing in October.

His family released a heartfelt statement following his death, saying: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”

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