Liam Payne was in talks for a series of dates next year despite concerns from those close to the singer that he wasn’t prepared mentally for the demands of life on the road

Singer Liam Payne was in talks to do a tour despite concerns from his friends that he was struggling.

The star was in negotiations for a series of dates next year. But friends were worried that the tour was not in his best interests given his mental health and personal issues.

A source said: “When it emerged that Liam had been talking to new people about a series of dates, there was a great deal of unease among his friends that this was a bad idea.

“Liam had split from his management about six months ago, and it would not have been something they would have recommended at the current time. Being on the road can be incredibly demanding and Liam wasn’t in the best place mentally. ”

Sources close to the singer also questioned the decision to do a Netflix show earlier this year and whether he was “emotionally strong enough” to do it.

Liam Payne and girlfriend Kate in happier times
Liam was a mentor in programme Building the Band, which was described as “an unscripted series in which brought together 50 singers who attempt to form their own band without ever seeing each other. The singers “had to connect via musical compatibility and chemistry before finally meeting.” He recently completed six weeks of filming.

It’s not known what the fate of the series will be, which also stars Nicole Scherzinger and Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland. AJ McLean from Backstreet Boys was the host. McLean, 46, posted a tribute after Payne’s death, saying they bonded on set. He said: Words cannot begin to express the pain I have for this man and the great loss we have endured! We became very close almost immediately and shared so many stories , laughs, and life experiences. Gone too soon my friend.”

Liam died after falling from a balcony last week on October 16. He was just 31-years-old. Police are investigating the circumstances of his death and are awaiting the final toxicology results, which are not expected to be made public for some weeks,

For the investigation, expert reports are being carried out on mobile phones, computers and security cameras, which the Prosecutor’s Office said, “require a longer analysis time”. A press release from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office also said that reconstruction of the events, which has involved taking numerous statements from hotel workers and medical professionals, is “still ongoing”.

A post-mortem examination report said Payne died of multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage”.

Hundreds of tributes have been left for the late singer ( 
Image:
PA)
The prosecutor’s office indicated the musician was alone when the fall occurred and said he appeared to be “going through some kind of outbreak due to substance abuse”. Reports say staff at the hotel made two calls to emergency services, with audio revealing a staff member had asked for assistance for a guest who was “intoxicated by drugs and alcohol”

Police in the Argentine capital previously said the music star’s hotel room had been “in complete disarray” with “various items broken”. They added that a whiskey bottle, lighter and mobile phone had been retrieved from the internal hotel courtyard where Payne’s body was found.

Tributes have flooded in for Payne since the news of his death, including from his former partner Cheryl, his One Direction bandmates, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, and music mogul Simon Cowell. Payne’s fellow bandmates – Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles – paid tribute to him as well and a joint statement from the band said they were “completely devastated” and will miss the singer “terribly”, adding the “memories we shared with him will be treasured forever”.