Liam Payne has been remembered for his “childlike joy for life” by a radio host who regularly interviewed the tragic star.
English broadcaster Siân Welby, 38, who co-hosts Capital Breakfast, also said the singer was an “interviewer’s dream” during a day-long radio tribute to the late One Direction singer, who died when he fell from his third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina aged 31 on 16 October.
Siân told People: “He always up for a laugh and game to play along with anything you threw at him.
“In one of my interviews with him he literally let me zap him with a taser! “Despite all the fame and success he still always came across as a very down-to-earth lad who hadn’t forgotten his roots.”
Siân said one of her favourite memories of Liam was about the time she purchased him a birthday gift, adding: “I remember buying him some Batman Lego as a birthday present because I knew he loved Batman!
“He was over the moon and took it with him after the interview. He really had that cheeky, childlike joy for life.”
Siân added Liam’s death was “tragic” and “devastating” as she dedicated an entire morning show to the singer, during which she played Liam’s songs and his solo music.
She said about the reaction to the tribute: “We had fans from around the world texting in, supporting each other and sending their thoughts and prayers to his friends and family.
“It was a really moving show.
“He’ll be remembered for how empathetic he was to his friends and his fans.
“You can see the outpouring of love and people expressing how much he helped others through difficult times and that says so much about his character.
“He went from being a little lad in Wolverhampton with a dream to becoming part of the biggest boy band in the world.
“He achieved so much in such a short period of time.”
