Liam Payne dies latest: ‘We all let you down’ – X Factor judge reacts to Liam Payne’s death; pictures show ‘total mess’ in hotel room | Entities & Arts News

The news website had come under fire for sharing photos of Liam Payne’s lifeless body after he fell from a hotel balcony, but has defended its decision to do so.

The photos showed part of the singer’s arm and torso, and were released before police confirmed his death.

TV presenter Rylan Clark was among those who criticized the publication of the photos, calling it a “disgrace”.

But TMZ executive producer Michael Babcock said there was a “balance” and “a conversation that newsrooms are having around the world.”

“You want to be sensitive with family and friends and also while working a news story,” he told Fox 5 New York.

“When the information came in, the police still hadn’t confirmed it was Liam, so what was done on the TMZ website, there was a picture, it didn’t show the full picture, it didn’t show his face, but it showed the his arm and his abdomen, where he has some very recognizable tattoos, so it’s used as a way to confirm, or to match the tattoos at a point where the police hadn’t yet confirmed his identity,” he said .

“And then, once they did, obviously that photo was deleted.”

Babcock said Payne’s death was a “terrifyingly horrible and sad story.”

“It’s something that obviously shouldn’t have happened, and this guy had a lot of life left to live, and you feel awful for everybody,” he said.