Simon Cowell has spoken out on Liam Payne fans 'blaming' the music mogul for the One Direction star's death last year.
In October 2024, Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The singer was in Argentina supporting bandmate Niall Horan, who was performing in the capital, and a video showed him dancing at the concert.
A coroner in the UK would go on to give a preliminary cause of death as multiple traumatic injuries, or 'polytrauma', in January 2025, while a further hearing took place earlier this month.
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According to the BBC, the inquest was adjourned until a review scheduled for May 7 2026, as there are 'continuing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances surrounding Liam's death'.
Following Payne's death, five people were arrested, though Argentinian authorities have gone on to drop manslaughter charges against one of Payne's friends as well as two members of staff at the hotel.
Cowell, who launched Payne to fame as a member of One Direction back in 2010, was among those who paid their respects to the singer after his passing.
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His statement, in part, read: "You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens. Liam, I am truly devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty.
"And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you."
The former X Factor judge was asked by the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast recently about Payne's death, particularly around some pointing the finger at him after the tragic situation.
"I don’t read any of this stuff because if I did, you would just torture yourself," the 66-year-old said. "The idea that you are essentially responsible for somebody’s life, ten years after you’ve signed someone? You can’t do that."
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Payne's death 'really hit' Cowell when he heard about it, as he continued to say: "When I heard the news, it really hit me. I saw him a year before this happened. He came over to my house. We talked about his son and being a dad.
"I remember saying, 'Music is not everything. Don’t let it run your life anymore. Find something else that you are passionate about.' You ask yourself that question: “Could I have done anything more? What would’ve happened to Liam if he hadn’t been in the band?"
He added: "Having spoken to his mom and dad recently, all they kept telling me was he was so proud of what he had achieved. I wish I could turn back the clock, of course.
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"When I spoke to him that day, I felt really good about him. I thought, “Wow, you seem in a really good place."
Topics: Simon Cowell, Liam Payne, Music, Celebrity
Callum Jones