"He had the biggest heart": Rita Ora pays touching tribute to Liam Payne at MTV EMAs in Manchester

Rita Ora paid a touching tribute to Liam Payne at the MTV EMA's in Manchester on Sunday night (November 10).

The singer, who was hosting the European Music Awards for the third year running, held at Co-op Live arena in Manchester, had previously duetted with Payne on the song For You in 2018.

Following the news of Liam’s death, the musician was seen breaking down on stage during a performance last month as she described him as being ‘the kindest soul’.

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The 31-year-old pop star, who rose to fame in the X Factor boyband, tragically died after he fell from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel where he had been staying in Buenos Aires on October 16.

During the awards night in Manchester, Rita Ora appeared to be tearful as she paid tribute to One Direction singer Liam Payne.

The host said: “I just want to take a moment to remember someone very, very dear to us. We lost him recently and he was a big part of the MTV world and my world. Liam Payne was one of the kindest people that I knew.”

She added: “He had the biggest heart and was always the first person to offer help in any way that he could. He brought so much joy to every room he walked into and he left such a mark on the world.”

An image of the singer was then shown on screens in the arena. The crowd after the silence screamed "we love you Liam."

On Sunday, Manchester was taken over by an influx of music superstars and celebrities as the MTV EMAS land in Manchester.

The music awards ceremony, hailed as one of the largest TV broadcasts across Europe outside of Eurovision, featured big-name performances and surprises.