The media are really doing some stellar work in covering Liam Payne’s death this week; first TMZ received a load of backlash for sharing images of the former One Direction star’s dead body in the courtyard of the Bueno Aires hotel where he fell from a balcony and died, and now Sky News are being called out for taking the p*ss out of his young son’s name.

During a report on Payne’s death, a Sky News presenter referenced the 7-year-old son that he shares with Cheryl Cole, who is named Bear. An uncommon name for sure, but One Direction fans are not happy at all with the way the presenter pointed this out.

The presenter said: ‘I remember when Bear was born and we were laughing at the name because it’s quite funny.’

Ah just @SkyNews being as scummy as you’d expect re: Liam Payne news. pic.twitter.com/5z5OTva6Rm

— LewisJ 👁️ (@LewisJ815) October 16, 2024

Imagine – you’re a 7-year-old lad who’s just lost his dad in extremely tragic and public circumstances, and you’ve now also got to hear Sky News taking the mickey out of the name he gave you. Stupid name or not, the kid has just lost his dad. For shame, Sky News! For shame indeed.

Some of the reaction on X:

‘What a strange thing for her to bring up…,’ viewer @GDave815 wrote.

@LewisJ815 said: ‘Ah just @SkyNews being as scummy as you’d expect re: Liam Payne news.’

@cameronclark_98 wrote: ‘Sky news are turning into gbeebies… what a disgusting thing to say.’

‘Jesus, this news just broke and she decided to randomly make fun of his kids name. That kid, stupid name or not just lost their dad ffs.’ @GJ69 said.

‘Whattttttt. That is so uncalled for,’ @lightupvm added.

@gangster_ram also called the comments ‘so disrespectful’.

Payne and Cheryl Cole welcomed Bear in March 2017, a year after they started dating. The couple split a year later, but had been co-parenting in recent years. In 2022, Payne said he sees his son ‘two to three times a week.’

‘And I make sure when I see him, he has 100 percent of my time. I make sure that I’m not on my phone or dicking around somewhere else,’ he said, according to People.

Earlier this year, Payne also said his son was his ‘mini-me’, telling his followers: ‘I’m going to speak to my son in a little bit which I’m really excited about. Bless him. He’s getting so big now. He’s a big boy and he looks like a mini-me.’

RIP Liam Payne and we wish all the best to his friends and family as they continue to handle this tragic loss.