Liam Payne's ex fiancée Maya Henry opens up about singer's death amid drug and sexting allegations

Four months after Liam Payne’s tragic death at 31, his former fiancée Maya Henry has spoken out, revealing painful details about their past relationship. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the 23-year-old model claimed the One Direction singer battled severe drug addiction, engaged in sexting with fans, and struggled with his identity.

"Initially, it was the drug use and addictions that tore us apart," Henry shared. "Anyone who has been with an addict understands how difficult that is."

Sources close to Payne told Rolling Stone that his substance use included cocaine, ketamine, MDMA, and pharmaceutical pills before escalating to heroin. His erratic behavior allegedly involved "seeking out drugs, sexting fans, and hiring sex workers."

Henry described their relationship as volatile, saying, "I knew there were parts of himself he was struggling with—parts of his identity he wasn't ready to fully face, even within our relationship."

Following Payne’s death, Henry faced online harassment, with trolls blaming her for the singer’s passing. She later issued a cease-and-desist letter against him, alleging persistent attempts to contact her. Payne was found dead on October 16 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Despite their troubled past, Henry insisted she had hoped for his recovery. "I tried to be there to help him fix things," she said.

Henry has also drawn attention for her debut novel, Looking Forward, which mirrors aspects of her past relationship with Liam Payne. 

Photo: Pango Books

While Henry maintains that the novel is a work of fiction, she admitted that it is "inspired by true events" and that she altered certain details for privacy reasons.

Payne’s funeral took place on October 31 in the UK. Henry, who briefly stepped away from social media after his death, returned on Thanksgiving, expressing gratitude for her family and faith.