Simon Cowell is feeling “sick” about the tragic death of former One Direction star Liam Payne, who he loved like his own son, and is “trying to figure out what he can do to support his family.”
Tributes have flooded in for Payne, who died after falling from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, aged 31.
Music mogul Simon, 65, is said to be “gutted” by the news of the Stack It Up singer’s death, with a source claiming he loved him like his own blood, along with his One Direction bandmates , Harry Styles, Zayn Malik. , Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan.
They added that the executive, who paused filming of his talent show Britain’s Got Talent in the wake of heartbreak, is taking time to process the sudden loss while also reflecting on cherished memories.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, they said: ‘Simon is devastated by the Liam news.
Simon Cowell is ‘going through so many emotions’ after Liam Payne’s tragic death
A source told DailyMail.com that the late One Direction star was “like a son” to him.
‘Simon has a son who he loves more than anything and essentially the One Direction boys were his first children, he spent a lot of time with them and loves them all.
“This is a tragedy and a lot of emotions are going through you right now.”
Simon signed One Direction to his music label, Syco, after the group auditioned on The X Factor in 2010.
Payne had previously auditioned in 2008, when he was 14, and performed a stunning rendition of Frank Sinatra’s hit Fly Me To The Moon for judges Simon and Louis Walsh, and his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole.
Although he made it through to the Judges’ Houses round, Payne was ultimately sent home.
Simon encouraged Payne to try again in “two years”, which is when he would achieve global stardom as part of the boy band One Direction.
The source continued: ‘Liam was a very important person in her life and Simon is sick that this has happened.
‘He keeps the memories he has with Payne close to his heart. It’s just an absolute nightmare and a very sad thing to deal with.
The source added that Payne was “a very important person” in Simon’s life.
Simon signed One Direction to his Syco label after they formed on his X Factor show.
“It’s really a moment of reflection for Simon, he’s trying to figure out what he can do to help his family, he wants to do something for Liam, but all of that will take some time, he has to deal with the tragedy of the moment.
“It’s very hard and very sad.”
DailyMail.com has contacted Simon’s representatives for comment.
Earlier today, it was announced that a ‘devastated’ Simon, who shares 10-year-old son Eric with fiancée Lauren Silverman, 47, has taken a step back from filming Britain’s Got Talent following Payne’s death.
Production will resume on Saturday with Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, KSI and Bruno Tonioli on the panel as the mogul mourns the death of the pop star.
“This news has hit Simon incredibly hard – he is completely shocked and devastated,” a source told The Sun.
“He didn’t think it was right to continue filming BGT and when it resumes on Saturday, he doesn’t think he’s at the right time to continue.
“All the judges and the production team support us enormously.”
A spokesperson for Freemantle UK, the show’s producer, announced yesterday that they were suspending auditions for Britain’s Got Talent.
Their statement read: “Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions.”
“Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and everyone who loved him.”
According to the source, Simon sees all the One Direction stars as his own children.
Simon has taken a step back from filming Britain’s Got Talent following Payne’s death.
At the same time, Simon faced backlash over Payne’s death, with X Factor’s Katie Waissel criticizing the state of the music industry.
Singer-songwriter Katie, 38, who auditioned alongside Payne on the 2010 series of X Factor, named Simon in two statements in which she accused music bosses of focusing on “profits rather than people”.
She first took to
He later released a lengthy statement in which he described Payne as “my confidant and my supporter”, before focusing on the lack of support for young musicians.
‘Liam was kind, with a pure heart, a sharp mind and the wisdom of an old soul. “His warmth and compassion left a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing him,” he wrote.
Payne fell to his death from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.
His family said they were ‘heartbroken’ by his death and that the singer ‘will live forever in our hearts’
“His tragic passing not only leaves an irreplaceable void in the hearts of those who loved him, but also serves as a painful reminder of the systemic neglect that persists in the industry.
‘There are those who had a responsibility to provide the care and support necessary for the well-being of young artists, but too often the focus was on profits rather than people.
‘This industry has treated talent as if it were a commodity, and the neglect of duty of care has once again caused a heartbreaking loss. We only need to look at Simon Cowell’s recent interview with Steven Bartlett, where he admits that his biggest regret is not owning the band name.
And he added: ‘The real regret should be not having prioritized the physical and emotional well-being of the artists who placed their trust in these institutions.
“Contracts, whether for television shows or record deals, carry a legal and moral duty of care that must be respected.”
Payne fell from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday and sank into the courtyard before doctors confirmed his death.
The singer’s family revealed today that they were “heartbroken” by his death and that the singer “will live forever in our hearts.”
In a statement, they said: ‘We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we will remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. “We support each other as best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this terrible time.”