Zayn Malik fans in tears as he pays touching tribute to Liam Payne

Zayn Malik paid a touching tribute to Liam Payne as he performed in his former One Direction bandmate's hometown.

The singer made special reference to his late friend as he played in Wolverhampton last night. Malik, 31, took the decision to quit the chart-topping band in 2015, discussing his mental health and desires to live as normally as possible.

But, in recent weeks, he has been performing as a solo artist for the first time on his debut headline tour. Malik's Stairway to the Sky Tour has seen him perform in cities such as London, Manchester, Leeds and now - Payne's hometown of Wolverhampton.

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Performing an emotionally-charged first show in the city since the singer's death, he said: "Rest in peace, I hope you're seeing this."

Payne tragically fell to his death from the balcony of his third floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16. After initially postponing his tour, Zayn has now included a tribute to Liam at the end of each show.

Speaking on stage at the University of Wolverhampton's The Halls in the most recent gig, Malik said: "I've been doing something, at the end of the show, every night, and it's been dedicated to my brother Liam Payne. Rest in peace. I hope you're seeing this, we're in your hometown tonight, Wolverhampton, this is for you, Liam."

A screen read: "Liam Payne 1993 – 2024. Love you bro," alongside a pink heart. Fans have since taken to X, formerly known as Twitter to share their comments, with many being left heartbroken once again. One said "I cried as soon as he said it. So lovely to hear the devotion."

One fan penned: "Stop I'm crying." "It's so weird