Simon Cowell's brother has disclosed that the former X Factor judge met with Liam Payne just months before his tragic death last week.
Tony, one of Simon's four brothers, opened up about his younger sibling's friendship with the ex-One Direction star and even shared details of one of their last meetings, the Mirror reports.
In a chat with Closer magazine, he revealed: 'We are devastated. I feel for Simon, too. He met with Liam a few months ago, when Liam took Bear to see him at his house in the Cotswolds, and Bear played with his son, Eric. "
While Tony acknowledged that the rest of the former boy band had drifted from the music boss over the years, he said: "Liam was determined to gain Simon's approval [on The X Factor]. He desperately wanted to please him. "
Liam initially auditioned for X-Factor two years before finding fame with One Direction; missing out on the final rounds of the competition when he was eliminated at the Judges' Houses stage. However, his second stint on the show proved life-changing, after entering as a solo artist, judges Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh later grouped him with fellow contestants Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik, who would later be known as One Direction.
Following the tragic death of the 31 year old who fell from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 16, Simon joined celebrities globally expressing his 'devastation' after the incident. Britain's Got Talent auditions were cancelled last Thursday (17 October) as a mark of respect to the ex-One Direction star.
Simon later took to Instagram with a heartfelt message: "You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens. Liam, I am truly devastated. 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."
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