Simon Cowell's devastating reaction to Liam Payne death revealed by Sinitta
Simon Cowell was left 'absolutely devastated' by the sudden death of Liam Payne, according to close friend Sinitta – who, in an exclusive interview, has revealed for the first time how the music mogul broke down in tears during an emotional phone call.
Pop star Sinitta has revealed for the first time Simon Cowell's heartbreaking reaction to the sudden death of Liam Payne, describing how the music mogul 'sobbed down the phone' to her, and was 'absolutely devastated.' Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, the singer and stage star – who mentored alongside Cowell on The X Factor and was one of the first in the world to spot Liam's talent – recalled the shocking moment she heard the news.
She revealed during an exclusive chat with OK!: 'On the night it happened I had gone to bed early but left my phone on in the other room,' she explained. 'I kept hearing it clicking with new messages. In the morning, I saw the messages and was in complete shock. I literally couldn't speak. It was like living through a nightmare.'
Sinitta, 61, first met Liam when he auditioned for The X Factor at the age of 14, impressing the judges with his mature vocals. Though he didn't make it through the first time, Simon and Sinitta both urged him to return – and he did, aged 16, where he was famously placed into One Direction during the 2010 series.
'To me, he was still that little boy who made it all the way to Barbados [for Judges' Houses] because he was determined to be on the show, ' she said. 'Simon and I loved him and begged him to come back. He did – and ended up being the lead singer in One Direction. You never expect anyone younger than you to suddenly die.'
Sinitta added that she 'couldn't stop thinking about Cheryl and Bear,' referring to Liam's ex-girlfriend Cheryl, and their son. 'All I could think about was Cheryl and Bear,' she told us. Later that day, Sinitta reached out to her close friend Simon Cowell – whom she's known for over 40 years. What she heard on the other end of the phone has stayed with her ever since.
'He was absolutely devastated,' she said. 'I hadn't heard him so upset since his mum died. He sobbed down the phone to me. He couldn't contain his emotions – it was hard to know what to say to him.'
Despite his grief, Simon later attended Liam's funeral and comforted the singer's parents – something Sinitta says shows his strength and character. 'It was very brave of him to be able to go to the funeral and comfort Liam's parents,' she added.
Liam tragically died in October 2024 at the age of 31, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. The incident sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, with tributes flooding in from friends, fans and former bandmates. Five individuals were initially charged in connection with Liam's death.
However, three – including Liam's close friend Roger Nores – have since had those charges dropped. Legal proceedings are still happening - with Liam's nearest and dearest continuing to grieve the star.
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