Insider Claims Liam Payne Suffered Near-Fatal Overdose, Was Revived Several Times

Liam Payne, the former One Direction member whose passing on October 16 stunned fans worldwide, had reportedly battled addiction in the years before his death.

Sources close to the singer revealed that Payne had suffered at least one near-fatal overdose in recent years, requiring medical intervention on more than one occasion.

The precise timing of these incidents remains unclear, but those close to Liam Payne suggest that his struggle was more profound than many knew.

Liam Payne’s recent professional commitments raised alarm among friends and former colleagues, who felt he was not yet ready for a return to the spotlight.

Reports from Page Six indicate that the singer, known for his time in the British boy band as well as solo ventures like "Strip That Down," experienced at least one near-fatal overdose and had to be revived.

Another source from the music industry confirmed these accounts, adding that Payne reportedly overdosed at least twice.

One source familiar with Payne’s recovery journey noted that several close to him were “shocked” when his manager signed him to film "Building the Band" for Netflix this summer. Having only recently completed a rehab program, Payne’s friends believed the high demands of a new project could hinder his progress.

"His manager pushed him to do the show and there were a lot of worried texts exchanged between us,” the source said. “We were shocked, there was no way he was in any shape to do this.”

“Liam had, in the last few months, become very isolated by a new group of people away from [those] who cared for him and who’d been trying to help him for a long time," they added.

For what it's worth, sources indicate that in the months leading up to his passing, Liam Payne had moved in with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, renting a property together in Florida. But the source who spoke with Page Six claims, “Liam’s manager moved him to Miami and away from all of his friends, he isolated him.”

This detail complicates the narrative around his work commitments; while Payne’s manager reportedly pushed for his involvement in the Netflix project "Building the Band," it’s hard to say if relocating to Miami was entirely the manager’s decision or if it aligned with Payne’s personal plans.

Earlier this year, Payne filmed the Netflix show and maintained contact with fellow cast member Nicole Scherzinger, who is currently starring on Broadway in "Sunset Boulevard." Sources close to the project shared that Payne and Scherzinger continued texting even after filming had wrapped.

It remains unclear what will happen to the footage from the Netflix show following Payne's tragic passing.

The source further noted that Payne's life had taken a downward turn following One Direction's hiatus in 2015, during which he struggled with drug addiction for several years.

“He was heartbroken and never really recovered,” the source added. “He was lost without his brothers,” referring to bandmates Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.

Payne's preliminary autopsy results indicated that he had "pink cocaine" in his system at the time of his death on October 16, following a fall from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “All these drugs do nothing but kill people,” addiction specialist Richard Taite told Us Weekly of "pink cocaine," which he said is “coming in[to] fashion now,” and fentanyl.

“They’re not like heroin and cocaine in the past. This is like garbage, all of it," he added. "[It’s] all dangerous today.”

While the new sources claim Payne had ODed in the past, according to the Daily Mail, another source revealed, "Liam had been clean for weeks. He had been to rehab more than once, undergoing treatment in both the UK and California. Recently, he had begun working with a new psychiatrist in Florida. Everyone around Liam hoped that he was on the path to recovery."

"Liam was 100 percent sober. But when he checked in at the hotel, at some point, someone there started giving him drugs," the source said. "Liam had tried really hard to get clean, then they preyed on him. These people only care about money. They didn't care about his health."

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).