Topline
Simon Cowell, the former “The X Factor” judge who pieced together One Direction in 2010, canceled a taping of “Britain’s Got Talent” on Thursday after Liam Payne died at age 31, as Cowell and his talent competition shows face scrutiny from former contestants who say the programs exploit young stars.
Liam Payne rose to fame with One Direction on “The X Factor.” (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images … [+] for Atlantis The Royal)
Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal
Key Facts
Cowell, a record label executive who created and judges on both “The X Factor UK” (which was canceled in 2018) and “Britain’s Got Talent,” postponed auditions for the talent show that were supposed to be held Thursday, with ticketing company ApplauseStore citing the “tragic passing of Liam Payne.”
Cowell, who signed Payne to his record label Syco Entertainment as part of One Direction after the band became popular following their third-place finish in 2010, has not yet directly commented on Payne’s death.
“The X Factor” said in a statement on social media it is “heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne,” stating he will “leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans.”
Forbes has reached out to Cowell’s representatives for comment.
What “x Factor” Stars Spoke Out After Payne’s Death?
Soon after Payne’s death, his friend and fellow “X Factor” contestant Katie Waissel slammed Cowell in a post on X, stating: “If Simon Cowell dare put a statement out on the heart wrenching, tragic loss of my dear and darling friend Liam, he would be a fool. We all know the truth… and I’ll be sure it all comes out.” The post garnered attention on social media, with nearly 4 million views and more than 61,000 likes. Waissel, who competed on the show in 2010, has been a frequent critic of Cowell and the “X Factor,” and pivoted from a music career to become a lawyer with the intent to sue Cowell and his label, Syco Entertainment, over what she says are unfair contracts that exploit young artists. In a separate statement, Waissel called Payne “my confidant and my rock” while again criticizing Cowell for his alleged “failure to prioritize the emotional and physical welfare” of artists and for focusing on “profits rather than the people.” Waissel cited a controversial statement Cowell made in June that he wished he kept the rights to the One Direction name because he could have made spinoff projects, like “an animation or whatever,” without their permission. Another former 2010 “X Factor” contestant, Rebecca Ferguson, posted a statement Thursday morning criticizing the series for its “exploitation and profiteering of young stars,” stating she believes Payne would still be alive had he not auditioned. Ferguson has previously slammed the show for its “abuse of power,” stating she was forced into “contracts the size of a Bible,” including one she’ll be “bound to forever,” and said it ignored her complaints about the treatment of contestants. Ferguson said she privately met with Cowell, who apologized for the treatment she received and that he wished he had “stepped in” to help her.
Key Background
Payne first auditioned for the “X Factor” in 2008, where Cowell told him he had “potential” but was “missing a bit of grit.” He got a “yes” from all three judges, but was cut in a later round after Cowell told him to come back in two years. Payne returned to the “X Factor” in 2010, where Cowell gave him a standing ovation for his audition. Cowell and judge Nicole Scherzinger formed One Direction after the auditions, with Cowell calling Payne’s audition the “standout.” The band placed third and signed to Cowell’s Syco Entertainment in 2011, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands of all time before its indefinite hiatus in 2016. Payne has seldom discussed Cowell following his time in the boy band, but he has spoken of struggling with addiction while the band experienced peak popularity. “The day the band ended, I was like, ‘Thank the Lord,'” Payne said in 2021, stating he “needed to stop or it would kill me.” He said he struggled with alcoholism, and that while he was touring with the band, “the best way to secure us, because of how big we’d got, was just to lock us in our rooms. What’s in the room? A mini-bar.”
Tangent
Other “X Factor” contestants have previously slammed Cowell and the competition series for what they say is exploitation of young artists. Jade Thirlwall, a member of the girl group Little Mix, which is currently on hiatus after achieving fame on the “X Factor” in 2011, appeared to take shots at Cowell’s label in her debut solo single, “Angel of My Dreams,” in July, singing she sold her “soul to a psycho” who only cares about money. Little Mix previously split with Cowell’s label after it had a falling out with Little Mix’s management company. In 2021, Irish pop act Jedward slammed Syco, claiming One Direction and Little Mix are “legally f*cked in contracts and can never speak out.”
News Peg
Payne died Wednesday at age 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. CNN reported he died from multiple injuries involving “internal and external hemorrhage,” according to a preliminary autopsy. The hotel manager reportedly called 911 to report “an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol” that was “destroying” his hotel room. Payne’s sudden death led to an outpouring of tributes from fans and fellow artists. In a statement, his family said they are “heartbroken,” stating: “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”
Further Reading
Preliminary Autopsy For Liam Payne Found ‘Multiple Traumas’: Here’s What To Know About The One Direction Star’s Death (Forbes)
‘I Cannot Believe He Is Gone’: Pop World Reacts to Liam Payne’s Death (New York Times)
