Liam Payne, the former One Direction member, has reportedly died after falling from his hotel balcony in Argentina on Wednesday evening, October 16. TMZ broke the news earlier today and shockingly crossed a line by publishing cropped images of the 31-year-old singer who had been staying in Buenos Aires before his untimely demise.
“TMZ obtained a photo showing Liam’s body on a wooden deck at the hotel with tables and chairs nearby,” the story read initially as the US-based gossip tabloid is typically known for, at times, questionably drawing scoops for its traffic. The media outlet known for maintaining a gossip landscape by breaking some of the biggest celebrity scandals and other showbiz headlines displayed pictures showcasing portions of Payne’s arm and waist. His identifiable tattoos were unmissable in the photos. “We’re not showing the whole body, but you can clearly see his tattoo — a clock on his left forearm, and a scorpion on his abdomen,” the outlet added.
Another photo from the store showed a police tent erected over the 1D member’s body.
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TMZ lambasted for posting Liam Payne’s death photos
The ethically questionable choice was put under the incinerator as fans and public figures alike fiercely condemned the decision. “Singer Alessia Cara succinctly slammed the outlet on X, formerly Twitter, ”You’re gross @TMZ.”
Rylan Clark, a BBC presenter and TV personality, also torched the outlet, “TMZ f***ing shame on you. Disgrace.”
Fans were equally appalled by Payne’s death photos. This being the early hours since the news broke out, many are still reeling from the shock and struggling to make sense of what is what in denial. Several netizens directly took the heat to TMZ’s socials and called for the person responsible for posting those pictures to be fired.
“Do you even think before you publish an article? That was is so f***ing disrespectful and inhumane of you. Do you ever consider the thoughts and feelings of people who might be affected by posting that?” a person commented under TMZ’s post about Liam’s death. Another fan fumed, “Whoever even took the image should genuinely be locked up. Have some goddamn respect. And taking a pic of a person who just passed is psychotic behaviour and then post it?!?! This should be illegal.”
A third commented, “You guys stooped to a new low this time. shame on all of you. disgusting company.”
Ultimately, the photos were pulled from the original story. The copy was edited to read, “TMZ has seen a photo showing Liam’s body,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
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Although day in and out, media outlets continue reporting about celebrity deaths, photos of the deceased have rarely made it out. X users didn’t let the moment slip away and continued torching the outlet. “Removing the photos of his lifeless body from your article as if you never posted them in the first place so they’re now all over the internet anyway and the damage is done. You are soulless vultures,” a comment followed. Another person wrote, “U cant just act like you did not publish that photo you sick f***s.” Fans are seeing this as the outlet hitting a “new low.”
Payne leaves behind his son, Bear, shared with Cheryl Cole. The former couple welcomed him in March 2017. A fan poignantly noted on the platform, “He was a daddy. His little boy has lost a father, its a tragedy.” Meanwhile, another user berated the site for its “exploitative” antics: “Totally unacceptable! TMZ’s actions are exploitative and heartbreaking, laws need to protect victims’ dignity.”
TMZ also came under fire for its reporting of the helicopter crash that killed NBA great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, 13, in 2020. Much like Liam’s case, the outlet was the first to break the news of the tragedy hours after the crash. In the meantime, authorities bashed the outlet for going public with the news even before the coroner’s office had confirmed their identities and informed the families. TMZ founder Harvey Levin later backed the site’s move to go ahead with the exclusive, saying that the outlet had approval from “Kobe’s people.”
“We were told very clearly that she had been notified,” he said about Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, who later filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department over photos clicked at the site of the crash.
Levin has yet to comment on the Liam Payne story.
