Young people under 18 should be prevented from joining big pop bands to protect their mental health, a leading songwriter has claimed.
Guy Chambers, a good friend of Take That star Robbie Williams, made the comments days after the death of Liam Payne aged 31, who was just 16 when he joined One Direction in 2010.
Liam, who shares a seven-year-old son with ex-partner Cheryl Tweedy, was thrown to death from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday.
The singer had previously spoken out about his mental health struggles after achieving stardom at such a young age, with many claiming that more support should have been given to the boy group in their youth.
This weekend, Chambers called on the music industry to stop working with talent under the age of 18.
“I think putting a 16-year-old in an adult world like that is potentially very damaging. Robbie experienced that, certainly,” he told the Observer.
Noted songwriter Guy Chambers (right) with Take That star Robbie Williams (left) in 1999.
A selfie video on social media shows Liam Payne speaking in Sarmiento, Buenos Aires, shortly before his death.
Liam (centre) was just 16 when he became one fifth of One Direction in 2010.
Guy Chambers (pictured) called on the music industry to stop working with talent under 18
He added: ‘I have four children, so I think about this a lot. I know that in the case of Robbie, with Take That, there was no adequate protection to look after the teenagers.
‘That was a long time ago, but I don’t see many signs of change. From what I’ve observed, not much more care is put into the people who participate in the big television talent shows.
It comes after news that Liam made a shocking admission just minutes before he died, MailOnline revealed earlier this week.
A young woman staying at the same hotel said the former One Direction singer told her minutes before he died: “I used to be in a boy band, that’s why I’m so screwed.”
In her compelling account, Rebecca, one of the last people to speak to the pop star at the Casa Sur Hotel on Wednesday, claimed Liam displayed “disturbing and strange behaviour” when he smashed his laptop on the floor.
The One Direction star fell from a balcony on the third floor of the CasaSur hotel
Liam’s fans gathered around the world today, from London to Paris, New York and Stockholm, to pay tribute to the One Direction star.
Heartbroken fans gathered to pay their respects at a vigil at the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens.
The event was held “in memory of Liam” and to “honor his brilliant spirit and unforgettable impact.”
Heartbroken attendees brought flowers, letters, drawings and One Direction memorabilia to place beneath a picture of the star. Some came in groups and hugged and held each other as they mourned their loss.
In a touching moment, fans sang along to One Direction’s iconic song ‘What Makes You Beautiful’, the band’s lead single from their debut album, ‘Up All Night’.
