Strictly star JB Gill opens up about ‘tough week’ after close pal Liam Payne’s funeral

STRICTLY prima JB Gill has opened up astir having a ‘tough week’ aft his adjacent pal Liam Payne’s funeral.

Just implicit a period aft his shocking death at the property of conscionable 31, Liam's household and closest friends came unneurotic astatine his ceremonial to pay their final respects connected Wednesday.

While Liam’s household and friends, including JB’s JLS bandmate Marvin Humes, gathered to accidental goodbye to the One Direction star, JB was successful rehearsals with his creation spouse Lauren Oakley and couldn't marque it.

The singer, who archetypal met Liam successful 2008 during auditions for The X Factor, reflected connected their relationship successful a caller interview.

He told the Daily Mail: "He was a precise bully friend. We virtually met him erstwhile helium was starting his travel out. It was earlier helium had the occurrence of One Direction due to the fact that helium was conscionable a solo creator successful the aforesaid twelvemonth that we were successful The X Factor and got onto the unrecorded shows. I conscionable retrieve him pursuing the boys and maine around."

JB auditioned alongside his JLS bandmates, portion a 14-year-old Liam impressed the judges arsenic a solo artist.

Although JLS went connected to go runners-up successful the competition, Liam’s travel ended astatine bootcamp aft Simon Cowell eliminated him during the Barbados round.

JB revealed, "He wanted to beryllium successful JLS, to beryllium honest. But erstwhile helium got knocked retired astatine bootcamp, we said, ‘Just support going, support moving hard, you’ll get your chance.’ I’m evidently gladsome that helium was capable to bash that."

Liam returned to The X Factor 2 years later, wherever Simon brought him unneurotic with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik to signifier One Direction.

The radical became a planetary sensation, but with fame came idiosyncratic challenges for Liam.

Liam tragically passed distant past period aft falling from a edifice balcony successful Buenos Aires, Argentina.

JB reflected connected the tragedy, saying, "It’s incredibly sad, particularly erstwhile it’s ace adjacent to home. We had a idiosyncratic narration with Liam and each the One Direction boys.

"When you travel from the aforesaid show, and you spell done akin experiences, you person that communal crushed that you tin place with. It has been pugnacious erstwhile you spot antagonistic things travel retired of that."