Simon Cowell is taking a brief step back from the spotlight following the tragic death of former protégé Liam Payne.
“Britain’s Got Talent,” the long-running competition series created by Simon, canceled its Thursday taping after the One Direction star’s passing in Buenos Aires, Argentina Wednesday.
This isn’t surprising given Simon’s long history with Liam and his band, One Direction. Remember, Simon formed the popular boy band on “The X Factor (UK)” … another singing competition show created by the music mogul.
From there, Simon mentored Liam, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan to 3rd place on the series … but they reached superstardom after the show concluded and signed with SC’s Syco Records.
The “American Idol” alum was set to return to the judges panel with Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and guest judge KSI by his side … having previously taken selfies on the ‘BGT’ set the day of Liam’s death.
Applause Store, the company responsible for booking tickets for the auditions in the UK, made it clear the tragedy had put a pause on production, writing … “Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, BGT has decided to postpone today’s auditions in Blackpool. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
As TMZ previously reported, Liam was declared dead at his hotel in Buenos Aires, after traveling to the South American city to support former bandmate Niall’s show.
The singer fell from a balcony at the hotel, and first-responders were unable to resuscitate him. He was 31.
Countless celebrities have since paid tribute to the late star, including fellow “X Factor” alums Dermot O’Leary, Olly Murs, Jedward and Rylan Clark.
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“The X Factor” also issued a formal statement on social media — “We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne. 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. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.”
We’re sure more developments are to come … so, stay tuned.