Simon Cowell misses Britain's Got Talent auditions in Blackpool after Liam Payne's death

The former One Direction star and father-of-one died on Wednesday, October 16, after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The ITV talent show’s latest round of auditions were supposed to be held at the Winter Gardens on the day of his passing, but the show's producers cancelled filming.

A spokesman said: “Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions.

“Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him."

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Simon Cowell, a judge on the talent show, worked with Payne on The X Factor in 2010, putting One Direction together.

Payne teaming up with Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles as they came third on the show.

Cowell, who later signed them to his Syco Records label as they went on to sell more than 70 million records worldwide, joined those in the music industry and beyond in remembering the singer.

“You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens,” he said in a statement on Instagram.

“Liam, I am truly devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty.

“And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you.”

Bruno Tonioli was brought back in to cover Cowell.

He was previously replaced by KSI, due to his filming commitments with Dancing With The Stars in the US.

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Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and guest judge KSI, who was hired as the temporary replacement for Tonioli, also continued with the programme.

Hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly were back working on the series too.

Cowell and Payne first met in 2008, when Payne auditioned as a solo artist aged 14.

He progressed to the judges’ house stage, but Cowell didn’t take him through to live shows. Instead, Cowell advised him to take two years away and then return.

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Payne followed that advice and was placed into a group alongside four other solo artists.

One Direction went on to become one of the most successful boy bands in history.

The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016, as the singers all embarked on successful solo careers.

Cowell said the singer’s seven-year-old son, whose mother is former X Factor judge Cheryl, will be “so proud” of what he achieved during his 31 years.

“I have met your son, Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in his eyes you have,” Cowell wrote.

“He will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it.”

The 65-year-old titan of the music industry said he would tell the thousands of fans that Payne was “kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused” and “how much love you genuinely had for the fans”.