‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Postpones Auditions Taping After Liam Payne’s Death

Britain’s Got Talent — which features Simon Cowell, who helped form One Direction when the members appeared on The X Factor — canceled their planned taping Wednesday following the death of Liam Payne.

The competition series was scheduled to film a second day of auditions in Blackpool, England, Wednesday when news of the singer’s death following a fall from a Buenos Aires hotel emerged. Soon after, the Applause Store, which organizes tickets for the tapings, announced that Wednesday’s filming had been postponed.

“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,” the Audition Store wrote on social media.

“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.”

While Cowell himself hasn’t issued a statement following Payne’s death, The X Factor posted 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.”

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Payne died Wednesday from injuries he sustained after falling from his third-story balcony at Buenos Aires’ CasaSur Hotel. The city’s medical emergency agency, SAME, confirmed Payne’s death to Rolling Stone’s Argentina bureau. SAME’s Director Alberto Crescenti told the local press that the artist fell from “about 13 or 14 meters” and that Payne “suffered severe injuries incompatible with life.”

An emergency call from hotel staff to police shortly before his death revealed that assistance was requested for “a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol,” with hotel staff also “a little afraid that he’ll do something” because of the balcony adjoined to his room.