Britain’s Got Talent postpones auditions following death of Liam Payne
The show’s producer, Freemantle UK, has not said when the trials for the 2025 series will resume.
Britain’s Got Talent has announced it will be postponing auditions for the show following the death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne.
The ITV programme’s producer, Freemantle UK, did not say when trials for the 2025 series will resume.
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.”
Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It comes after the ITV show’s latest round of auditions were held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Wednesday.
Britain’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell worked with Payne on series seven of The X Factor in 2010, putting One Direction together, with Payne teaming up with Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles as they came third on the show.
Cowell later signed them to his Syco Records label as they went on to sell more than 70 million records worldwide.
Police in Buenos Aires said Payne fell from a third floor balcony into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Argentina’s capital, before medics confirmed his death.
They said officers initially responded to reports “of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol”.
Pictures showed shocked fans gathering outside the hotel after police cordoned off the area, with forensic investigators in white protective suits and blue gloves seen entering and leaving.
Fans were photographed lighting candles and leaving flowers at the side of the road in an impromptu vigil as they paid tribute to the music star.
Payne’s death comes after it was widely reported that his ex-fiancee, Maya Henry, had started legal proceedings, allegedly issuing a cease and desist letter for repeated contact.
The US model, who was engaged to Payne from August 2020 until he announced their separation in June 2021, claimed in a recent TikTok video that, since their break-up, the singer would “blow up my phone” from different numbers.
