In a deeply emotional interview, JB Gill, a member of the boyband JLS and a current contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, opened up about the grief he’s been enduring following the tragic death of his close friend, Liam Payne. Liam, a former member of One Direction, passed away last month at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The loss has been particularly devastating for JB, as the two shared a long history together, both rising to fame through The X Factor in 2008.
Liam’s funeral took place on Wednesday at St Mary’s Church in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, where family and friends, including JB’s fellow JLS bandmate Marvin Humes, gathered to say their final goodbyes to the beloved star. Despite the heartache of losing such a close friend, JB pushed through the emotional week, continuing his preparations for the live shows on Strictly. In an ironic twist, this week’s dance routine, the joyful and energetic Charleston, starkly contrasts with the sadness JB was feeling after Liam’s passing.
JB Gill and Liam Payne first crossed paths in 2008 during their time on The X Factor. Both were auditioning for the show, with JB and his three JLS bandmates already together as a group, while Liam, then just 14 years old, was auditioning as a solo artist. Although JB’s band made it to the live shows and finished as runners-up that year, Liam was eliminated at bootcamp, a moment that JB remembers well. Reflecting on that time, JB shared, “He wanted to be in JLS, to be honest. But when he got knocked out at boot camp, we said ‘Just keep going, keep working hard, you’ll get your chance.’”
Liam took the advice to heart and returned to The X Factor two years later. This time, Simon Cowell saw something special in him and paired him with other talented contestants, including Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, to form the globally successful boyband One Direction. For JB, seeing Liam achieve his dreams was both thrilling and bittersweet, and it made his loss even harder to bear.
As JB shared his thoughts on Liam’s passing, he reflected on the deeper connection they had, not just as fellow contestants on the show, but as individuals who experienced the highs and lows of fame together. “We had a personal relationship with Liam, and all the One Direction boys,” JB said. “When you come from the same show, and you go through similar experiences, you have that common ground that you can identify with. It has been tough when you see negative things come out of that.”
JB acknowledged that while One Direction and JLS had some similar experiences as boybands, the pressure and challenges of fame weighed heavily on Liam. The success that Liam and his bandmates achieved was undeniable, but JB also noted that fame often came with its own demons, which Liam struggled with. It was with a heavy heart that JB described how the loss of his friend had affected him, especially knowing how much Liam loved to perform and how he had been able to live his dream of singing and connecting with millions of fans worldwide.
Despite the deep sorrow, JB took some comfort in the fact that Liam was able to do what he loved most. “It’s incredibly sad, especially when it’s super close to home. But one of the things I do take from the situation, a bit of a silver lining, if you will, is that as young as he was, and as tragic as it is, Liam was able to do the thing that he loved the most, which was to sing and perform in front of the world,” JB explained. “It’s sad for him, for his family, for his little boy, but it’s one of those things that you can take a bit of comfort from, because he was able to live his dream. And not everybody can say that.”
The emotional toll of the past week has been compounded by the fact that JB had to continue his Strictly journey, which has had its own share of ups and downs. Despite the personal heartache, JB’s positive attitude remains intact as he battles through each dance week. This week, his routine with his new partner, Lauren Oakley, is the bright and upbeat Charleston, a sharp contrast to the grief he’s experiencing. But even with such a difficult backdrop, JB has managed to push through, buoyed by the support of his fellow contestants and his own inner strength.
JB’s journey on Strictly has already been eventful, with an emotional goodbye to his first partner, Amy Dowden. Amy, who has been open about her struggles with Crohn’s disease and her remission from breast cancer, had to step away from the competition after experiencing a foot injury and some health issues. Despite the setback, JB has formed a new connection with Lauren, who has been by his side as he continues in the competition.
Throughout his career, JB has witnessed firsthand the pressures of being in a boyband, and his insights into the music industry are sharp. Reflecting on the formation of JLS, JB believes the band’s longevity was in part due to the fact that they weren’t rushed into success the way some other boybands were. He even subtly addressed the manufactured nature of some groups, hinting at the fast-paced, high-pressure environment fostered by shows like The X Factor. “I think for a lot of those groups that are put together, immediately people are looking for results. They need to have a number one, they need to have a single, they need to have an album. Everything’s go, go, go,” JB said. “With us, I think there was a bit more of an organic process. We were together by the time we went into the show. We weren’t manufactured.”
Looking back on his time in JLS and his Strictly experience, JB feels proud of the way his band navigated the pressures of fame. He believes that having the time to bond and grow as a group before entering the X Factor spotlight gave them an edge over other bands that were created under intense scrutiny.
As JB’s journey on Strictly Come Dancing continues, it is clear that the challenges he faces are not just in the ballroom. The tragic loss of his friend Liam has cast a shadow over his performances, but his resilience and commitment to honoring Liam’s memory through his work are evident. For JB, the greatest tribute to Liam is to continue living his own dream, dancing on national television, and finding strength through the shared experiences they both
had in the limelight.
