Simon Cowell says Liam Payne 'was in good place' before sudden death

Simon Cowell shared his feelings after learning about Liam Payne's death and admitted that he wanted to contact the singer's parents.

The X Factor boss, 66, said he was in utter shock and immediately wanted to reach out his mum and dad as a parent.' 

For the inversed, Liam died in Buenos Aires after falling from a third floor balcony at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel on October 16,2024.

Speaking on The Interview podcast from The New York Times, Simon recalled hearing about his death. 

He said: 'Someone who I worked with, very closely came into my room and I could tell from the look on her face that she was upset, then she told me.

'It was a bit like, when I heard the news that my father passed away. It's very difficult to put into words how you feel, other than just a shock.'

Simon continued: 'I was not thinking clearly and I just remember saying I really need to speak to his mum and dad, can you get them on the phone.'

'As a parent, you know what that must have felt like. I knew his mum and dad and I just wanted to reach out in that moment. It was just awful.'

Simon recalled that the singer was 'in really good place' when he last saw him.

'He looked great, he had been just going to the gym and we talked about his son and said there was more to life than just music. We just hung out as friends,' he added.

'There was stuff I would have never have spoken about then that was private. Advice I tried to give him about what comes with fame.' 

Simon first met Liam during the X Factor's auditions when the singer was 14. 

At the time the news of his death broke, Simon shared a heartfelt tribute to the pop star, 'who never forgot the fans.'