Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy, 25, has spoken out for the first time after the One Direction star died last year.

All Of Those Voices premiere - London

Liam Payne’s Kate Cassidy revealed she received death threats after his death (Image: PA)

Liam Payne’s devastated girlfriend has revealed that she received death threats following her late boyfriend’s tragic passing.

Kate Cassidy deleted her social media after trolls turned on her when hundreds flooded her account with cruel comments about what she wore to his funeral.

At the dad-of-one’s funeral, the 25-year-old rocked a matching black top and trousers which she paired with a black trench coat and elevated the look with a pair of black heeled boots.

Now, Kate – who had been in a relationship with the One Direction star since 2022 – has revealed that she utilised her experience in the showbiz world helped her to shrug off the abuse in that difficult time in an interview with The Sun.

She told the outlet: “One hate comment is equivalent to a hundred nice comments so it’s hard but I understand that. Liam would want me to be as strong as I can be, and just have a thick skin.

Funeral For Singer Liam Payne, Former Member Of One Direction

The influencer was slammed online for her funeral attire (Image: Getty Images)

“That’s one thing he always taught me. He grew up in this life, and he always was just so positive about it and said, ‘Don’t let any hate get to you’”.

The American influencer is keen to praise the majority of the kind One Direction fans who “have given me so much support and love.” However, the reality star has also seen first-hand the harmful side of super-fandom.

She went on: “I understand that some of the most negative comments come from a place of loving Liam, and concern, and caring for Liam. So, I understand that because I love Liam too. But for sure it’s hard because obviously any criticism will get to you”.

Kate revealed that she has even received death threats from the singer’s fiercely loyal fanbase. The influencer told the outlet: “Yeah, I have some [death threats] and some of my DMs are, well, I can’t even put it into words exactly.

“That’s why I had to delete social media for a bit, and still sometimes I’ll take a break from it.” It comes after she revealed that she would “never have left Argentina” if she had known Liam’s death would happen.

The influencer revealed the real reason why she left the country without her boyfriend was to return to the States to look after their dog. She told The Sun: “I had a responsibility, we had a responsibility.

“We had our dog and obviously I never, ever thought this would occur. It was a tragic accident and no, I never did think [he might die young]. But, you know, we did have our own separate lives – this wasn’t the first time we have travelled separately.

“I just never thought this would happen, that it would turn out the way it did.”