BBC Strictly Come Dancing's JB Gill has 'tough' week amid pal Liam Payne's funeral

Strictly Come Dancing contestant JB Gill antecedently paid tribute to the precocious One Direction subordinate Liam Payne, describing his erstwhile X Factor co-star arsenic a 'very bully friend'

It is said to person been a "tough" week for Strictly Come Dancing contestant JB Gill, whose precocious person Liam Payne was laid to remainder astatine a work held conscionable a fewer days ago.

Liam - champion known arsenic a subordinate of One Direction - passed away, aged 31, past period aft falling from the balcony of a edifice successful Argentina. His ceremonial was held astatine St Mary's Church successful Amersham, Buckinghamshire, connected Wednesday.

A big of celebrities were among the guests astatine the service, including JLS subordinate Marvin Humes and his woman Rochelle Humes, who was a subordinate of the radical the Saturdays. Marvin's bandmate JB, 37, reportedly wasn't successful attendance.

According to the Daily Mail, whilst different pals were astatine the work earlier this week, JB was successful rehearsals for Strictly with his creation spouse Lauren Oakley. It reports that JB has said it's been a "tough" week for him amid the funeral.

The outlet adds that successful a "cruel irony" JB - who precocious described Liam has having been "a precise bully friend" - volition beryllium dancing a Charleston, alternatively than a much sombre benignant of dance. JB and Lauren are acceptable to execute to Firehouse Five Plus Two's Yes Sir! That's My Baby connected Saturday night.

JB archetypal met Liam successful 2008 erstwhile they respectively auditioned for the X Factor. Liam auditioned arsenic a solo creator astatine the time, whilst JB was portion of the radical JLS alongside Marvin and their bandmates Aston Merrygold and Oritsé Williams.

Unlike JLS, Liam didn't marque it done to the unrecorded shows that year. He nevertheless returned to the X Factor 2 years aboriginal and ended up successful One Direction with his bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.

JB paid tribute to Liam past period whilst speaking to the Daily Mail and described him arsenic "a precise bully friend" portion recalling having been connected the ITV amusement together. And helium described Liam's passing arsenic "incredibly sad" successful the interview.

He besides shared that helium would "love" to perform a regular to 1 of Liam's songs whilst connected Strictly, with JB among the remaining contestants connected the latest bid of the BBC show, which launched successful September. As antecedently reported, helium told the outlet recently: "If there's an opportunity, I'd emotion to [dance to 1 of his songs]. It'd beryllium an unthinkable tribute."

JB is among the 7 remaining contestants connected Strictly. So acold successful the caller series, he's topped the leaderboard connected 3 occasions and been successful the dance-off once. Alongside their Charleston, JB and Lauren - similar the different remaining couples - volition besides instrumentality portion successful a Samba-thon connected the amusement this week.

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