Liam Payne Dead: Charlie Puth, Paris Hilton and More Stars Mourn One Direction Singer’s Death
Simon Cowell is taking a break amid difficult news.
The 65-year-old has paused production on his ITV show Britain’s Got Talent following the shocking death of One Direction alum Liam Payne. The show had been filming auditions in Blackpool, England, prior to the “Strip That Down” singer’s death at 31.
“Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, BGT has decided to postpone today’s auditions in Blackpool,” Applause store, who organized tickets for filming, said in a statement per The Independent on Oct. 17. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Payne rose to fame on Cowell’s singing competition The X-Factor, when he selected him to team up with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik to form One Direction in 2010. The boyband quickly became a global sensation, releasing five albums in five years—four with Malik before his 2015 departure from the group—and touring all over the world. They ultimately went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016 to pursue solo projects.
Though Cowell, who mentored the group during their time on the show and subsequently signed them to his company Syco, has not yet spoken out in the wake of Payne’s death at age 31, X-Factor shared a heartfelt tribute.