In a bittersweet twist of fate, Liam Payne’s former performing arts coach and friend, Jodie Richards, has opened up about her final text exchange with the beloved One Direction heartthrob just hours before his tragic passing on October 16th in Argentina. And honestly? If you’ve ever sent a late-night “U up?” text, you’ll probably feel a little attacked right now.
Let’s dive into the heartfelt but slightly awkward conversation between the superstar and his old teacher—because nothing screams poignant farewell like one last selfie and a ghosted “Jo?”
The Messages: A Masterclass in Subtle Panic
Liam kicked things off by sending a selfie to Jodie. The message was simple, cryptic even:
Liam: “Jo?”
Now, you’d think someone famous might drop in with something a little more exciting, like “Guess who’s eating empanadas in Buenos Aires?” But no. Just a casual “Jo?”—the international code for “I need to talk, but also I might just be bored.”
Jodie: “Sorry, just home x.”
Pretty standard response when you’re too tired to deal with existential musings at 4 a.m. (or famous friends randomly pinging you from another continent). Liam hit back with the universally chilling one-word reply:
Liam: “Ok.”
Listen, that’s not just any “Ok.” That’s the “Ok” that haunts group chats. It’s loaded. It’s the are we good or are we not good? text. Terrifying.
The 4 a.m. “U Up?”
Later, Liam, in his mysterious jet-setting way, texts again around 4 a.m. UK time.
Liam: “Hey.”
…followed shortly by the dreaded follow-up:
Liam: “U up?”
That’s right, Liam Payne just hit his former teacher with a U up? text. At this point, you can’t help but wonder: What exactly was going on in Argentina? Time zone confusion? A random surge of sentimentality? Or just good ol’ boredom?
Jodie, being a responsible adult, didn’t see the message until 8 a.m. (classic). Upon realizing she had just ignored what was, in hindsight, her friend’s last-ever “Hey,” she responded with every concerned friend’s follow-up:
Jodie: “Where are you?”
To which Liam responded with the ultimate cool guy answer:
Liam: “Argentina.”
…and just to drive the point home:
Liam: “Chilling.”
It’s official—chilling has never sounded more ominous.
The Aftermath: “Please Tell Me This Isn’t True”
When news broke of Liam’s passing, Jodie’s heart understandably shattered. In a frantic attempt to reconnect with him, she sent a series of heartbreaking texts:
Jodie: “Liam!!!”
Jodie: “Please tell me this isn’t true.”
Jodie: “Please Liam.”
You can almost hear the desperation between those exclamation marks. And honestly? Same, Jodie. Same.
Her final message was a tear-jerker:
Jodie: “Goodnight Mr. P xxxx. I have no words and don’t want to say goodbye. When I wake up, I’m sure it will all be a dream.”
You know it’s serious when someone starts dropping Xs like they’re confetti at a One Direction concert.
Jodie’s Sky News Interview: A Farewell We Didn’t Expect
Jodie later spoke with Sky News to reflect on the unexpected loss of her friend. While the full interview and the haunting text grabs are available online, one thing is clear: Even in his final hours, Liam Payne reminded us that celebrities are human too—sometimes they just want to know if you’re awake at 4 a.m.
Rest easy, Mr. P. You’ll always be “chilling” in our hearts.
