AceShowbiz - Robbie Williams has paid tribute to the late Liam Payne, expressing shock, sadness, and confusion following the singer's tragic passing.

Williams first encountered Payne and One Direction on "The X Factor", where he "mentored" them. He recalled their camaraderie, recognizing similarities in Payne's struggles with addiction to his own. "I still had my demons at 31," he penned. "I relapsed because of a multitude of painful reasons."

"Liam's trials and tribulations were very similar to mine," Williams wrote. "So it made sense to reach out and offer what I could. So I did."

A former boybander himself, Williams emphasized that he initially feared a similar fate to Heath Ledger, who he believed he would be "next" to die after. "By the grace of god and/or dumb luck I'm still here," he added.

The Take That alum reminded everyone of the unknown factors in people's lives and urged against quick judgments, especially through online posts. "Before you type anything on the internet, have a think 'Do I really need to publish this?'," he wrote.

Williams continued, "We have the power to change ourselves. We can be kinder. We can be more empathetic. We can at least try to be more compassionate towards ourselves, our family, our friends, strangers in life, and strangers on the internet. Even famous strangers need your compassion."

In his tribute, Williams also noted the heartbreaking loss Payne's death represents for his friends, family, fans, and the world. Williams' message follows tributes from various figures in the music industry, including Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.

One Direction's former members also released a joint statement, expressing their devastation and honoring Payne's positive spirit and love for making others happy.

Williams' tribute highlights the importance of compassion and empathy, and serves as a reminder that even those who seem larger than life are still human beings deserving of understanding and support.