The former One Direction star, who died falling from a third-floor balcony last week, first met Scherzinger on ITV show The X Factor.

She described the singer as her ‘best friend’ and ‘the love of my life’.

The veteran US rocker has been outspoken about his depression.

"Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son," she said.

Payne died of multiple traumas and ‘internal and external haemorrhage’, a post-mortem examination report said.

The pop star died after falling from a balcony on the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The singer fell from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

Ambulance workers later confirmed the death of the singer, who was found in an interior hotel patio,