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Liam Payne was texting Nicole Scherzinger the day he died

Liam Payne was texting Nicole Scherzinger the day he died

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Pussycat Dolls alum Nicole Scherzinger was reportedly in contact with Liam Payne on the day of his death.

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber – who works with Scherzinger on the Broadway musical “Sunset Blvd.” — spoke about her relationship with the late One Direction singer in an interview with Billboard published Thursday.

“I suppose something that wasn't said, and I guess I could say, is that of course she looked after Liam from One Direction,” said Webber, 76. “On the Wednesday when he died, she was still writing to him a text message that day.”

Pussycat Dolls alum Nicole Scherzinger was reportedly in contact with Liam Payne on the day of his death. RACHPOOT.COM / SplashNews.com
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is currently working with the singer on a Broadway production, spoke about her relationship with the late One Direction alum. Bruce Glikas/WireImage

According to the British musician, Scherzinger, 46, learned the tragic news of Payne's death just before she took the stage to perform her lead role.

“She had just found out he died,” Webber said. “And the fact that she even did the show is extraordinary. I mean, she's an amazing, amazing woman.

“She is without question one of the best artists I have ever worked with.”

“Of course she mentored Liam from One Direction,” Webber said in an interview with Billboard published Thursday. Snapchat/Liam Payne
“On Wednesday when he died, she was still texting him,” the British composer continued. Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal

Representatives for Scherzinger did not immediately respond to Page Six's request for comment.

Payne and Scherzinger's relationship dates back to 2010, when the “Don't Cha” singer was a judge on “The X Factor UK.”

At the time, Scherzinger teamed up with fellow judges Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh to connect Payne with his One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan.

Webber said Scherzinger showed up to his appearance hours after learning the news of Payne's death. Bruce Glikas/WireImage
“And the fact that she even did the show is extraordinary. I mean, she's an amazing, amazing woman,” Webber added. WireImage

Behind-the-scenes footage released in 2022 showed Scherzinger encouraging her fellow judges to put together an “imaginary boy group” consisting of the five teenagers rather than write them off the show.

“They're just too talented to pass up and they have just the right looks and charisma on stage,” she said at the time. “I think they’ll be really great together in a boy band.”

“They’re like little stars,” Scherzinger continued. “You can’t get rid of little stars. You put them all together.”

Scherzinger and Payne met on The X Factor UK in 2010. Getty Images
Scherzinger, who served as a judge on the show, encouraged her fellow judges Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh to form the boy band now known as One Direction. Nicole Scherzinger / Instagram

From there, One Direction was formed. The group enjoyed incredible success, recording albums and performing together for five years until they split up in 2015.

Payne and Scherzinger reportedly filmed the upcoming Netflix series Building the Band together before his death.

The “Teardrops” singer served as a judge and mentor on the unscripted show, which ended production in August, Deadline reported earlier this month.

Payne died on October 16th. SplashNews.com
He was 31. liampayne/Instagram

Payne died on October 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.

A partial autopsy report says the hitmaker had cocaine, crack and the antidepressant benzodiazepine in his system when he died.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please call the SAMHSA hotline at 1-800-662-HELP.

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