A reporter has come under fire for sharing a tasteless video from the hotel room where Liam Payne died.
Entertainment journalist Shanik Berman was filmed venturing onto the balcony from which the One Direction star fell.
In the clip, she peers over the edge and narrates to the camera like a “dark tourism” travel vlogger – someone who seeks out places linked with death and tragedy.
READ MORE: Lucky escape as skier and snowboarders survive terrifying snowslip
Her cameraman captures the sun deck and pool below, where the 31-year-old singer tragically lost his life in October 2024.
“I’m staying in Liam Payne’s room, 310 at CasaSur here in Palermo,” Berman said, portraying little gravitas.
“There’s the pool. This is my balcony – the one he fell from, where the pool is. I don’t really know exactly where he fell, but it was from this balcony.”
Berman, from Mexico City, was staying at the Buenos Aires hotel with her daughter, internet personality Karla Berman.
The 66-year-old claimed the room was assigned on the recommendation of hotel staff.
“They put us in this hotel, and when I arrived I said, ‘Oh, give me a nice view,’“ she said.
“And they told me, ‘The hotel is completely full, only one room is left.’ And they gave me Liam’s – room 310.”
Berman also filmed herself casually chatting beside the makeshift memorial to the Wolverhampton native outside the hotel, as reported by Need To Know.
“Well, outside the hotel I’m staying at there’s this tribute to Liam Payne. It’s outside, not inside where he passed away, because that’s now private property,” she said.
“But look, here are the fans who put all this together. Honestly, you can still feel the emotions of all the fans who come here, leave things, and take photos with him.”
Inviting controversy, she tagged the late pop star’s official social media account when sharing the clip earlier this week – and was met with heavy criticism.
One fan wrote: “How would you feel if someone came to film the place where your child rests? If they showed it, pointed it out, turned it into content for social media?
“For us, Liam Payne’s fans, that place represents loss too. It’s not a tourist attraction, not a curiosity, not just another story.
“It’s the place where someone we loved deeply was taken from us.”
Camila joked: “Of course they give THAT room to the gossip queen of the town – and of course she starts snapping a million photos and making an IG reel.”
Others were less amused. “What’s the point? It’s completely disrespectful. What’s the intention here? Be respectful, grow up! Have a little empathy for Liam’s family.”
Alexandra added: “Filming there was a terrible idea, all for some damn morbid curiosity.”
Still, some supported the journalist. One fan wrote: “No outrageousness, no Shanik – DIVA.”
READ MORE: Bodybuilder dubbed ‘Popeye’ dies aged 55
