Simon Cowell Postpones ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Auditions After Liam Payne’s Shocking Death

Simon Cowell halted auditions for Britain’s Got Talent in the wake of Liam Payne‘s shocking death.

The company that manages tickets for the show, ApplauseStore, announced via X on Thursday, October 17, that auditions in Blackpool were postponed due to “the tragic passing of Liam Payne,” adding, “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.” Britain’s Got Talent hosts Ant and Dec were subsequently seen leaving a hotel near where the show was meant to be filmed on Thursday.

Cowell, 65, who created Britain’s Got Talent, was also behind The X Factor, which is where Payne got his start as a contestant in 2010. Cowell went on to help form the popular boy band One Direction that same year, which consisted of Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik. The enormously popular group ultimately parted ways in 2015 and went on to have individual music careers.

Earlier this year, Cowell reflected on the early days of One Direction.

“When I was talking to One Direction, I remember saying to them, ‘Our goal is for you to have enough hits that if you ever reform, that you can do stadium tours. That means you got to have about 10 hit singles,’” Cowell recalled on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast in June.

When asked if he thought the group would ever reunite, Cowell replied, “I doubt it.”

Us Weekly confirmed on Wednesday, October 16, that Payne died after falling from the third floor of his Argentina hotel. He was 31. The Buenos Aires City Police were dispatched to CasaSur Palermo Hotel earlier that day, where Payne was staying. According to the official police report, officers were acting on a call reporting an “aggressive man who may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

“At 5:04 p.m., through 911 and the integrated public security system, we were alerted about a person in the internal courtyard of the CasaSur hotel,” the SAME (Emergency Medical Assistance System) director Alberto Crescenti said in a TV interview via La Nacion. “Unfortunately, he had injuries incompatible with life due to the fall, so we had to confirm the death. There was no possibility of resuscitation.”

Cowell has not yet publicly addressed Payne’s passing. Celebrities including Charlie Puth and Rita Ora have started to pay tribute to Payne with emotional social media posts.

“I am in shock right now,” Puth, 32, wrote via his Instagram Story. “Liam was always so kind to me. He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I cannot believe he is gone…”

Ora, 33, meanwhile, shared a photo of her and Payne via X, writing, “I’m devastated 💔 He had the kindest soul, I will never forget. I loved working with him so much – he was just such a joy to be around on and off stage. This tragic news breaks my heart. Sending all my love and prayers to his family and loved ones. Our [duet] song For You takes on a whole new meaning for me now. R.I.P 🕊️.”

Payne is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with ex Cheryl Cole, as well as his parents and two sisters.