Veteran BBC journalist Michael Buerk has sparked controversy with his comments about the late One Direction star Liam Payne on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
The 78-year-old broadcaster referred to Payne as a “drugged-up faded boyband singer” and criticised the extensive media coverage of his death.
Buerk’s remarks, made during a discussion about changes in foreign reporting, have ignited a heated debate over news priorities and the treatment of celebrity deaths in the media.
The comments, which aired on Thursday’s programme, have drawn both criticism and support from listeners, with many expressing shock at Buerk’s choice of words.
His comments were made just a week after Payne’s tragic death at the age of 31 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He said: “Last week, this programme decided that the most important thing that had happened in the world was that a drugged-up faded boy band singer had fallen off a balcony.
Liam Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor of a hotel
PA
“Even the 10 O’clock News, which is normally good on these things, thought it was the second most important thing that happened in the world.”
Buerk expressed concern about the current news agenda and added: “If you look at the news these days…
“They seem to be hammering away at the same half dozen stories while a whole continent goes unmentioned month after month.”
Listeners of the show were outraged at his comments, with one writing on X: “Blimey. Michael Buerk on #R4today expressed his surprise that the death of a ‘drugged up fading boyband member’ led the news. He seemed so… disdainful.”
Liam and girlfriend Kate were in Argentina for Niall Horan’s tour
PA
“What awful thing to say about someone who has died! Singer or not it’s still shocking” another slammed before a third expressed: “Simply not true. He’s doing what media always does and is guessing what happened Liam. You weren’t there so don’t comment.”
However, some listeners defended the former newsreader’s perspective, as one supporter commented: “Michael Buerk… the official spokesman for a majority of the nation today! Well done for saying what most of us thought.”
The controversial comment has reignited discussions about the media’s handling of celebrity deaths and the balance of news coverage.
Initial toxicology reports allegedly found multiple substances in his system, including “pink cocaine” – with the report being released shortly after his father, Geoff Payne, arrived at the hotel.
Payne rose to fame on The X Factor in 2010 as part of One Direction, alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson.
Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy was reportedly in a “hostage situation” during her trip to Argentina, a close friend has claimed.
They claimed to the New York Post: “They’re in Argentina and it’s like a hostage situation. So she tells him she wants to leave, this is after a week. He begs her to stay.
“She keeps extending her trip, a day, two days. And he just wants her to stay, stay, stay. I get what people are saying, that she should just stay with her rich, famous boyfriend, but she wanted to be home in her own bed with her dog.
“She wanted to come home. So eventually she says she’s going home.”
