‘Devastated’ and ‘heartbroken’ Simon Cowell pays tribute after Liam Payne’s death

Simon Cowell finally breaks silence in the wake of Liam Payne’s death Original

Transcript

00:00Simon Cowell has finally broken his silence in the wake of Liam Payne's sudden death at

00:09the age of 31.

00:12The music executive met Payne when he auditioned for X Factor at the age of 14 and played an

00:17outsized role in the young man's rise to fame through the boy band One Direction.

00:22In a post on social media, Cowell wrote,

00:25''You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens.

00:29Liam, I am truly devastated, heartbroken, and I feel empty.

00:35And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you.

00:39Every tear I have shed is a memory of you,'' Cowell wrote.