Simon Cowell & ‘Britian’s Got Talent’ Cancels Upcoming Auditions Following Liam Payne’s Sudden Passing

One Direction’s formation is often credited to Simon Cowell. In 2010 all the One Direction members competed on the X Factor, though, failed to progress past the BootCamp stage. However, Cowell saw an opportunity and knew their talent could not be wasted. So as a consequence of their early elimination, Cowell gathered them together and went on to create one of the most successful boy bands of all time. With all that in mind, Liam Payne, Cowell, and the show have an extensive relationship going back years.

Due to his role in their formation, Cowell seemingly has an affinity for each member and their lives. Thus, Cowell and his BGT counterparts took action by canceling Thursday’s auditions in hopes of shedding light on Payne’s passing. Besides Cowell and BGT, other celebrities to memorialize Payne include Paris Hilton, The Backstreet Boys, Charlie Puth, and numerous others.

The Canceling of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Auditions & Honoring Liam Payne

A recent spokesperson for the show told Variety, “Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ auditions” and “Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him.” Cowell, who is a current judge on the show, did not make any remarks about the show’s postponment.

The X Factor did not cancel any shows, but did release a tribute comment. They stated on X, “We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne” and “He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world.” They closed out their statement by saying, “Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.”

Regardless of these comments and cancellations, Cowell has still yet to comment on the death of Liam Payne in a personal manner. Nonetheless, thanks to the two’s 14-year history and BGT’s postponement, Cowell is seemingly doing all he can to make sure Liam Payne did not tragically pass in vain.

Photo Credit: BRIT Awards 2017 at The O2 Arena on February 22, 2017 in London, England.