Simon Cowell recalls his first thoughts after…
Simon Cowell is reflecting on discovering out that Liam Payne had handed away.
The former One Direction singer died at age 31 after falling off a lodge balcony in Argentina in October 2024.
“Somebody who works with me very closely came into my room,” Cowell, 66, shared with The New York Times in an interview printed Saturday. “I was up in the north of England, and I could tell by the look of her face that she was upset. She said, ‘Sit down,’ and she told me. And it was like — wow.”
Simon Cowell with One Direction on December 7, 2010. WireImage
The former “American Idol” decide in contrast his response to how he felt when he misplaced his father, Eric Philip Cowell, at age 81 in 1999.
“It was a bit like I felt when I heard the news when my dad passed away,” Cowell said. “It’s very difficult to put into words how you feel. It’s just shock. At that point, you’re not really thinking clearly.”
The British media mogul immediately felt the need to contact the artist’s household.
Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Harry Styles from One Direction on December 1, 2010. WireImage
“I just remember saying: ‘I really need to speak to his mum and dad. Can you get them on the phone as soon as possible, please?’” Cowell recounted. “Because, God, as a parent, what that must have felt like. I knew his mum and dad, and I wanted to reach out, just to say how I felt. It was just awful, awful.”
Cowell shares son Eric, 11, with fiancée Lauren Silverman. Payne himself was also a father to son Bear, 8, with ex Cheryl Cole.
The last time the music exec noticed the late star was a yr prior to his death.
Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Liam Payne of One Direction on August 20, 2013. Getty Images
I bear in mind seeing him stroll into this room and saying: ‘God, you look superb, Liam. What have you ever completed?’” he told the outlet. “[He said,] ‘Well, I’m going to the gym’ … We talked about his son and how much it means to be a dad.”
Their dialog went far past the scope of the industry.
“I was talking to him about there’s more to life than just music; you’ve got to a point in your life where you’ve got choice now … We just hung out as friends. That’s why I was so shocked and surprised when I heard the news.”
Liam Payne appears away from the digicam while out to dinner. Instagram/kateecass
Cowell and Payne first crossed paths on “The X Factor” in 2010. He rejected him from the show when he initially auditioned at just 14.
Cowell later positioned Payne with Zayn Malik, 32; Harry Styles, 31; Niall Horan, 32; and Louis Tomlinson, 33; to type One Direction.
The boy band positioned third during Season 7, but soon grew to become a worldwide sensation. One Direction accomplished 5 studio albums, 4 world tours and gained a number of awards.
Earlier this week, Cowell addressed claims that some people suppose he’s to blame for Payne’s death.
A candid shot of Liam Payne. Instagram/kateecass
Some critics have pointed the finger at the TV character for placing an excessive amount of strain on the group and not lending assist when they grew to become massively profitable.
“I don’t read any of this stuff because if I did, you would just torture yourself,” Cowell said while on the “Rolling Stone Music Now” podcast. “The idea that you are essentially responsible for somebody’s life, 10 years after you’ve signed someone? You can’t do that.”
The “America’s Got Talent” host revealed he’s still in contact with Payne’s dad and mom, Geoff and Karen.
They relayed to Cowell that their son had been “so proud of what he had achieved.”
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman after Liam Payne’s funeral on November 20, 2024. PA Images via Getty Images
“I wish I could turn back the clock, of course,” he added, noting that during their last dialog, “I felt really good about him.”
As Cowell put it: “I thought, ‘Wow, you seem in a really good place.’”
In October, Tomlinson said he didn’t place blame on anybody for the group’s grueling schedule during the peak of their fame.
“Look, in any situation similar to this, hindsight is a really powerful thing,” he told The Independent at the time. “I don’t blame anyone for my experience in One Direction. Was it really hard work? Yes. Did we not have enough days off? Yes.”
Simon Cowell embraces Liam Payne’s dad and mom at his funeral. Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images
Tomlinson called Payne’s death “something I’ll never really accept, I don’t think.”
“Liam would always entertain me. If I was bored and wanted to have a laugh, he would play that role,” he continued. “Any opportunity Liam got… he was always, always there for me. Even if he might have been struggling, he put himself second and still turned up. Those moments are really a testament to the truth of who he was as a person.”
Payne fractured his cranium and died immediately of “very serious injuries” when he plunged from his third-floor lodge balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16, 2024.
An post-mortem confirmed that he could have been unconscious when he fell.
Liam Payne throws the peace signal at the digicam. Instagram/kateecass
According to the report, his trigger of death was “polytrauma, internal and external hemorrhage” and the cranial mind accidents alone would have been enough to trigger death. Additionally, he suffered inside and exterior hemorrhages in the cranium, thorax, stomach and limbs, which “contributed to the mechanism of death.”
After Payne’s death, sources claimed that the remaining One Direction members reevaluated their bond.
“[Liam’s death] was a wake-up call for all of them. Prior, they kept in touch sporadically but didn’t have close friendships at all,” an insider told Us Weekly at the time.
Liam Payne smiles in entrance of a giraffe. Instagram/kateecass
They added that the previous bandmates had since pledged to mend their friendships.
“They’re all still mourning but are checking in on each other and feel closer than they have in years,” continued the source. “It brought them back together.”
After news of Payne’s passing, the band launched a joint assertion on their official Instagram band account.
Liam Payne and girlfriend Kate Cassidy. Instagram/kateecass
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” they penned. “But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
We present you with the trending topics. Get the best latest Entertainment news and content on our web site daily.
