Liam Payne’s pal Roger Nores has shockingly stated that the One Direction idol was “happy” and “perfectly balanced” just an hour before his sudden pass. The pop sensation plunged to his death at the tender age of 31 from a third-floor balcony at CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October, amidst widespread speculation he was in a state of turmoil.
Argentine tycoon Roger struck up a bond with Liam in 2020 after bumping into each other at a Vogue soirée in London – and shared his final hours with the star. Prior claims suggested Roger was by Liam’s side moments before the calamity – a point Roger has now corroborated by assuring Liam was cheery when he last laid eyes on him.
Facing earlier slanderous claims of “abandonment” post-Liam’s demise – which he has robustly refuted and for which he faces no abandonment charges – Roger contests the narrative alleging that Liam was intoxicated and unruly preceding his fatal drop, something even triggered an emergency service call by a hotel worker. In a candid tell-all, he articulates that Liam was jovially mingling with fellow hotel patrons leading up to the tragedy.
In a new documentary by TMZ, Roger reveals: “I’m a very good friend of Liam, and I was with him the day that he passed away. 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.”
He also shared the last time he saw the star, stating: “I left like at 4:05, or so, and he was in good spirits. He was perfectly balanced, like talking to everybody, having fun, laughing, so nothing out of the ordinary and that’s when I said, ‘Okay, bye’.”, reports the Mirror.
When asked by TMZ’s Harvey Levin if he had left about an hour before the tragic balcony fall, and whether Liam seemed fine, Roger confirmed: “Yeah, well, he seemed playful and happy.”
He also denied abandoning his late friend, telling the documentary: “I went to a hotel three times to check on him. During that morning, he seemed tipsy, but nothing out of the ordinary.”
The Mirror has reached out to Liam’s representative for comment. The full documentary, titled TMZ Investigates: Liam Payne: Who’s to Blame?, is set to air in the USA on Monday night at 8 PM ET on FOX.
The music industry was left reeling following the announcement of Liam’s passing on 16 October. His grieving family released a poignant statement, saying: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time”.
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