Simon Cowell has taken a moment to grieve the loss of his late protégé Liam Payne by canceling scheduled auditions for his competition series “Britain’s Got Talent.” The record executive who created the One Direction band could not let the show continue following Payne’s tragic fall from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday, October 16.
Coincidentally, Cowell and the show’s judges — Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and guest judge KSI — had been taking selfies on the “BGT” set the same day Payne died. Applause Store, the company responsible for booking tickets for the auditions in the UK, announced the postponement of Thursday’s taping in a statement, per TMZ, writing:
“Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, BGT has decided to postpone today’s auditions in Blackpool. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Cowell created 1D during the 2010 edition of “The X Factor (UK).” The band consisted of Payne, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. The show, also created by Cowell, honored the late singer in an Instagram tribute. Their message partly read:
“As part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world.”
Liam Payne’s Pal Blames Simon Cowell for His Death
While Cowell’s inability to hold auditions showcased his love for Payne, the late singer’s pal Katie Waissel begged to differ. “My heart is completely torn to shreds right now, I am at an absolute loss for words,” Waissel penned on Wednesday night, adding:
“If Simon Cowell dare put a statement out on the heart-wrenching, tragic loss of my dear and darling friend Liam, he would be a fool. We all know the truth… and I’ll be sure it all comes out.”
Waissel echoed similar sentiments in a separate statement where she reflected on her friendship with Payne and how the music industry failed him. Waissel claimed his tragic passing was “a painful reminder of the systemic neglect that persists in the industry.” She bashed record executives like Cowell for focusing more on “profits rather than the people.”
“We need only look at Simon Cowell’s recent Interview with Steven Bartlett, where he admits his greatest regret was not owning the band’s name,” Waissel argued. The singer-songwriter, per Daily Mail, stressed that “the real regret should be the failure to prioritize the emotional and physical welfare of the artists who put their trust in these institutions.”
Simon Cowell has not responded to these allegations, while Liam Payne’s death is still under investigation.
