Louis Tomlinson Reveals What Really Happened With Liam Payne’s Deleted Post

Nearly a year after Liam Payne died, Louis Tomlinson is finally talking about it in a new Diary of a CEO episode. And yeah, he also goes there about that long, heartfelt Instagram post Liam wrote for him back in 2023 that fans mocked until he took it down. A clip from the interview is already circulating, so if you were saving the whole thing for streaming, mild spoilers ahead.

Louis on the post Liam wrote, and why it vanished

Louis says Liam wrote him a long, ridiculously kind message after the premiere of Louis' documentary All of Those Voices in March 2023. Think essay-length, way more personal than the usual celebrity congrats. Louis says someone close to him saved a screenshot before it disappeared, because within about two days the post was gone.

Why? According to Louis, the comments got ugly enough that Liam deleted it. The gist of the backlash: people accusing Liam of jumping on a moment or trying to ride Louis' wave. Louis is blunt about how that kind of pile-on works and how a tiny slice of fandom can warp the whole thing.

"You know what it's like; it's a very small percentage of people, but they make a lot of noise."

He also frames it as classic Liam: the guy was putting himself second again, trying to support a friend, and got roasted for it anyway.

What was actually in Liam's message

Since a lot of people never got to read it before it was deleted, here’s the short version. After the London premiere on March 16, 2023, Liam posted a long tribute saying how seeing the world through Louis' eyes in the film made him proud. He talked about looking up to Louis, apologized for not being a better friend when he was struggling, and admitted he felt ashamed about some of that. He said Louis was part of a small group who literally helped save his life, praised how hard Louis worked to get to this point, told fans they’d learn something about themselves from the doc, and urged people to go watch it. Louis replied publicly the next day thanking Liam for being there and saying it meant the world.

Two days later, the trolls had done enough damage that the post came down. Louis says that still stings.

Louis on losing Liam

In the interview, Louis also talks plainly about the day he found out. He says Niall Horan called him while he was in the car in L.A. and the feeling hit him the same way it did when his sister Félicité died in 2019 at 18. He admits he’s wrestled with the thought that even giving 150 percent wasn’t enough to help Liam, then checks himself, acknowledging the problems were deeper than anything he could fix on his own. It’s raw, and you can hear the frustration and love in equal measure.

The facts around Liam Payne’s death

Liam Payne died on October 16, 2024, after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31. Authorities said he died from multiple traumas and internal and external hemorrhaging caused by the fall. Toxicology tests found alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system, according to BBC News reporting at the time.

Why this still matters

This whole thing is messy and human. Liam tried to be generous in public during a moment that was about Louis, and the noise machine turned it into a referendum on him. Louis is calling that out now, while also honoring who Liam was to him. If you lived through peak 1D internet, none of this will shock you. It’s just sad that a genuinely kind note got wiped out because a few loud voices decided to sneer.

Quick timeline

• Mar 16, 2023 - Louis premieres All of Those Voices at Cineworld Leicester Square. Liam attends to support him.
• Mar 16-17, 2023 - Liam posts a long Instagram tribute praising Louis, apologizing for past failings, and crediting him with helping save his life. Louis publicly thanks him on X the next day.
• About Mar 18-19, 2023 - After heavy criticism in the comments, Liam deletes the post.
• Oct 16, 2024 - Liam dies in Buenos Aires at 31 after a balcony fall. Cause of death and toxicology findings are later detailed by authorities and reported by BBC News.
• Oct 8, 2025 - Louis' Diary of a CEO episode screens in a one-night-only Regal Cinemas event in the U.S.; a clip from the interview circulates online.
• Oct 9, 2025 at 8 AM GMT - The episode hits streaming platforms, including YouTube and Spotify.

Where to watch

If you missed the theater event, the Diary of a CEO episode with Louis goes live online at 8 AM GMT on October 9, 2025. It’s an emotional watch, but it also clears up a lot of confusion around that deleted post and gives Liam his due.