By otakuyassine3@gmail.com 
Simon Cowell postponed Thursday’s “Britain’s Got Talent” auditions after finding out about his protégé Liam Payne’s tragic death.
“Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, BGT has decided to postpone today’s auditions in Blackpool. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause,” ApplauseStore, which manages tickets for the show, announced via X on Thursday.
In a separate post, they paid tribute to the One Director band member, writing, “We are devastated about the very sad news about @LiamPayne. We send our love, strength and condolences to all his loved ones, family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”
Per the DailyMail, who got a similar statement from the show’s producer, Freemantle UK, Cowell called off the auditions at the last minute. The auditions were set to be held in Blackpool, England.
Page Six has reached out to Cowell’s rep for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Cowell, 65, famously formed Payne’s boy band group, One Direction, on “X Factor” in 2010.
The former “American Idol” judge was the first manager of the boy band, which also included Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.
Payne originally appeared on Cowell’s radar when he entered the “X Factor” as a solo act and made it to the judges’ house stage. Two years later, he returned to the British reality television music competition and joined One Direction with the other then-teens.
One Direction finished the competition in third place and signed with Cowell’s Syco Entertainment record label.
Throughout their five-year run, the band made music history, becoming the only group in the history of the Billboard 200 albums chart to have their first four albums debut at No. 1.
Following Payne’s death, fans took to social media to rehash his complicated history with Cowell.
“Waiting for Simon Cowell to share his pain for Liam when he is the only one responsible for him ending up like that, come on Simon talk, that’s what you love to do most, you son of a bitch,” wrote one user.
“My heart is completely torn to shreds right now, I am at an absolute loss for words. 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. #justiceforliam,” added “X Factor” alum Katie Waissel.
“btw let’s NOT forget that @SimonCowell is one of the reasons that liam had so much problems related to drugs/alcohol, this man disgusts me,” added a third person.
“This was the Liam I first saw. 14 year old kid with a dream. The industry and Simon Cowell chewed him up and spit him out. This is the Liam I’m mourning,” said a fourth fan.
In June, the record executive shared his regret for not owning the band’s name.
“I should have owned the name. That’s the problem. When you give an artist the name, it’s not yours. And that’s my only regret. So if you’re listening, I’ll buy it back from you,” he said on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast at the time.
“If one of the band members, for whatever reason, say they don’t want to tour, it can stop the others [from] touring. So, if it was me who owned the name, it wouldn’t be a problem.”
On Wednesday, Payne died after falling from his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.
According to local police, the “Night Changes” singer’s fall resulted in “extremely serious injuries,” including a fractured skull as well as internal and external bleeding.
The pop star was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.
Moments before Payne’s body was discovered in the hotel courtyard, cops had been called about an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol” and was later identified to be the singer.
The dad of one was reportedly acting erratic in the hotel lobby, had smashed his laptop and was carried back to his room before his fatal fall.
Additionally, Payne’s destroyed hotel room was filled with drug paraphernalia, including pieces of aluminum foil and a white powdery substance.
The “For You” singer traveled to Argentina with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, on Sept. 30, but she left the country two days before his death.
Payne is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear Grey, whom he shares with ex Cheryl Cole.
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