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Jay Shetty Podcast

EXCLUSIVE: Liam Payne’s Girlfriend Kate Cassidy REVEALS Their FINAL Conversation

Jay sits down with Kate Cassidy, partner to Liam Payne — internationally beloved artist and former One Direction member — who tragically passed away in October.

Kate CassidyguestJay Shettyhost

Apr 16, 20251h 9mWatch on YouTube

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CHAPTERS

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Chapter summaries

Checking In: How Kate Is Doing and Why She's Speaking Now
After a cold open of teasers, Jay Shetty welcomes Kate Cassidy and asks how she is doing. Kate says she has harder and better days and explains she wants to share her story in the hope of helping others dealing with grief and mental health.
- •Kate says she is doing okay, with harder days and better days
- •Jay offers condolences to Kate, Liam's family, friends and fans
- •Kate feels comfortable sharing her story with Jay
- •She hopes to help others dealing with grief and mental health, while saying she is no expert
Kate's Background and the Night She Met Liam
Kate describes growing up in New Jersey with a British mother, going to college in South Carolina and moving to Charleston. She explains how she tried to get out of her second week of waitressing and ended up serving Liam that night.
- •Grew up in New Jersey; her mother is from Edmonton, England, which Jay also has a connection to
- •Attended Coastal Carolina University and moved to Charleston unsure of her path
- •Took a waitressing job at a friend's new restaurant
- •Tried to get the shift off but was told she was needed, and met Liam as his server
A Childhood Crush Becomes Reality
Jay asks about Kate's crush on Liam since she was 10. Kate recalls being a One Direction fan, her nerves at his table, and how humble and kind he was, then describes the early days together in Charleston and London.
- •Kate recalls an old Facebook post from 2010 favoring Liam
- •She was nervous and her heart was pounding when she approached his table
- •Liam was humble and conversation flowed easily
- •He extended his Charleston trip and she later flew to London
- •She says he showed her a fairytale life while she brought a sense of normality
Facing Online Hate and Learning to Brush It Off
Kate talks about the media attention and online hate she received as the new girlfriend. She says Liam, after nearly 15 years in the spotlight, taught her not to let negative comments affect her, and describes the mixture of love and hate he lived under.
- •Early public attention brought flooding hate and nitpicking of her appearance
- •Liam felt bad that she had to deal with it, but Kate said she didn't care because she loved him
- •Kate says one negative comment can outweigh ten positive ones
- •Liam taught her to focus on positivity and not let one comment ruin her day
- •He lived under a microscope, with people attacking what he wore and posted
Understanding Liam's Addiction and Mental Health Struggles
Jay asks whether Liam was already struggling when they met. Kate says he had been open about his mental health and addiction struggles, and that she first didn't understand addiction before realizing it was not a choice for him.
- •Liam struggled with mental health for years before they dated and was open about it
- •Kate admits she initially wondered why he couldn't just stop
- •She came to see addiction as something he didn't want and couldn't simply choose away
- •Jay notes that from afar people underestimate how conditioned addiction is
Supporting a Partner Through Addiction: Balance and Its Limits
Kate describes how she tried to keep balance in their routines and get Liam out of the house, including a day at the beach in Greece. She stresses that you cannot cure someone, and Jay and Kate discuss how progress is nonlinear and caregivers must care for themselves.
- •Kate tried to pull Liam out of his shell with outings balanced with quiet nights at home
- •The Greece beach day led to fan backlash against Kate
- •She says you can support someone but cannot fix or cure them
- •Jay says progress is not linear and it is heavy for both people
- •Kate says caregivers must not forget to care for themselves
The Phone Call: How Kate Learned of Liam's Death
Jay asks how Kate found out. She recounts being home alone in Florida, receiving a call from a friend about a balcony fall, the escalating panic, and the housekeeper and friends arriving to support her.
- •Kate was in Florida with their dog Nala, three days after returning from Argentina
- •A friend called asking if Liam was okay after hearing he fell from a balcony
- •She resisted believing it until a friend told her Liam was dead
- •Her phone filled with calls from friends and family
- •Her housekeeper came to comfort her, and her mom and friends flew in the next day
The Last Goodbye in Argentina
Kate describes the last day with Liam: breakfast, horseback riding, and a long goodbye before her flight. She shares that he laughed and told her she was acting like it was the last time she'd see him, and says the memory brings both pain and peace.
- •The last day in the countryside included horseback riding before her evening flight
- •Kate and Liam usually had long, heartfelt goodbyes
- •They had just bought a house, got a dog and moved to America
- •Liam said she was acting as if it was the last time she'd see him
- •Kate finds peace in the beautiful last moment they shared
The Days After: Shock, Funeral Dress and Lost Future
Kate explains why she did not fly to Argentina, then describes the sleepless first night, friends deleting her social media, and the numbness of the following days. She speaks about trying on a funeral dress instead of a wedding dress and grieving the future they had planned.
- •Kate chose to stay in Florida with her support system rather than go to Argentina
- •Friends deleted her social media to shield her from images online
- •Seeing videos of a happy Liam made her sadder
- •At 25 she faced her first funeral, her partner's
- •She was grieving the future they were building together
What Helps in Grief: Routine, Anger and Signs from Liam
Asked what has helped, Kate says to trust your gut, keep a light routine and know that anger is okay. She then shares how she felt Liam's presence through signs, including the 444 on a Happy Meal lid and signs in Los Angeles.
- •Grief comes in waves and affects everyone differently
- •One small activity per day, such as a walk or Pilates, helps her head space
- •She says it's okay to be angry and cry
- •The 444 on a Happy Meal maze lid was her first sign from Liam
- •In LA she saw fours everywhere, matching wallpaper, and Night Changes playing
The Hardest Part: Loneliness and Constant Reminders
Jay asks about the hardest part of the last months. Kate describes loneliness after being with Liam constantly and how everything, even new experiences, reminds her of him.
- •The hardest thing is loneliness and facing never seeing him again in this life
- •Everyday things like a coffee flavor remind her of Liam
- •She thinks about him every second and brings him up in most conversations
- •She also thinks of things he would have loved to experience
Reading Liam's Letters and the Watch Note
Kate says reading Liam's letters is what helps her day to day. She reads aloud a note that came with a watch with no numbers, symbolizing endless love, and tells the scavenger-hunt story of how he gave it to her.
- •Liam was a songwriter who left Kate notes around the house
- •Reading his handwriting lets her hear his voice
- •The note says the watch has no numbers because his love is endless, and is signed Your 444
- •Kate says it is hard to process that they thought they had all this time
- •He hid the gift in the backyard for a scavenger hunt, and every gift has a story
Fans' Outpouring and What Liam Would Have Wanted to See
Jay asks what Kate would have wanted Liam to experience from the outpouring of love. Kate says she wishes he had known how loved he was, uses it as a call to be kind online, and says he would have been proud.
- •Kate wishes Liam had known the full extent of how loved he was
- •She says people weren't always kind to him, and urges kindness online
- •Hate can't be controlled, so she asks why let it ruin your day
- •She believes he would have felt confirmation of his legacy and been proud
Losing Part of Yourself, Living Bravely, and Closing Reflections
Kate says she feels she lost half of herself and that Liam would want her to be strong and live. She says she is taking risks since she has already lost the best thing in her life, and Jay closes with reflections on kindness, and Kate says talking has helped her grief.
- •Kate says she feels she lost half of herself
- •She believes Liam would want her to be brave and honor his legacy
- •She wonders what more there is to lose and so wants to take risks
- •Jay highlights leaving letters and being kind since we don't know what others are going through
- •Kate says opening up has helped her with her grief

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