Naomi Campbell mourns Liam Payne following his tragic death at 31, reacts on Nicole Scherzinger’s post for the singer

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Naomi Campbell has broken her silence on the untimely passing of singer Liam Payne, with whom she was briefly linked romantically. The 54-year-old supermodel responded to Nicole Scherzinger’s heartfelt tribute to Payne on Friday, Oct. 25, with a simple but powerful message: “🕊️💔🕊️🙏🏾.” Scherzinger’s post on Instagram honored Payne, who died on Oct. 16, at the age of 31 after a tragic accident at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Payne reportedly fell multiple stories, and the Policía Federal Argentina confirmed his death.

Naomi Campbell on Liam Payne’s death:

Scherzinger, 46, shared in her post the deep bond she had with Payne, recalling how their friendship began when Payne was a teenager and just entering the spotlight as part of the globally successful boy band, One Direction, formed on The X Factor. In her touching tribute, Scherzinger reflected, “Dear Liam, I will forever cherish and treasure the time we shared together,” recalling how they remained friends up until recent weeks. She expressed gratitude for their shared passion for music and the conversations they had, adding, “It’s been so hard to process that you’re no longer here … I will ‘miss you’ my friend and carry you in my heart.”

Campbell and Payne were first rumored to be romantically involved in early 2019. Speculation began when the two attended several events together, such as a Formula E event in Hong Kong and the National Portrait Gallery in London, although they were not photographed together at either event. Their public exchange of compliments on social media in early 2019 also fueled rumors. Campbell commented “Beautiful soul” on a photo of Payne, to which he later responded, calling her “Perfection in a person.”

Both maintained their privacy regarding the rumored romance. When questioned by host Andy Cohen about the relationship on Watch What Happens Live, Payne chose to “plead the fifth,” playfully asserting his right to privacy. Similarly, Campbell declined to comment on the matter when asked on The Jonathan Ross Show.