Gossip columnist Perez Hilton publicly commented on Simon Cowell addressing speculation that he is responsible for former One Direction member Liam Payne’s death. The comments came following Cowell’s appearance on the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast about the grief he felt following the singer’s October 2024 death and the criticism some social media users have directed toward him. Liam Payne, who rose to fame after the formation of One Direction on The X Factor, died at age 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. While some commenters have framed Cowell’s role in the band’s creation as contributing to Payne’s struggles, Cowell dismissed the suggestion as unfounded and emotionally damaging. Buzzing Pop @BuzzingPopLINKSimon Cowell on being blamed for Liam Payne’s death: “I don’t read any of this stuff because if I did, you would just torture yourself. The idea that you are essentially responsible for somebody’s life, 10 years after you’ve signed someone? You can’t do that.” (Rolling Stone)Perez Hilton described Simon Cowell’s response as “very understandable,” noting the severity of the accusations and the difficulty of confronting such claims, saying,“Very understandable. It would be tough for anyone to deal with reading those types of comment”Simon Cowell rejects claims linking him to Liam Payne’s Death During his November 24, 2025 appearance on Rolling Stone Music Now, Simon Cowell addressed head-on the narrative circulating online that he played a role in Liam Payne’s death.According to The New York Post’s report on November 26, 2025, some people argued that intense pressures experienced during One Direction’s rise, and what they viewed as a lack of long-term industry support. connected Simon Cowell to the One Direction star’s personal challenges. Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Simon Cowell, Harry Styles and Liam Payne attend the "One Direction This Is Us" world premiere at the Empire Leicester Square on August 20, 2013 in London, England. (Image via Getty)Cowell dismissed that idea, stating he avoids reading such commentary because “you would just torture yourself.” He emphasized that it was unreasonable to claim someone could be “essentially responsible for somebody’s life, 10 years after you’ve signed someone.”Simon Cowell reflected on Payne’s death, calling it something that “really hit me,” and noting he had seen the singer a year earlier. Cowell recalled advising him not to let his career “run your life anymore” and expressed regret over not knowing what Payne was going through. He also shared that Liam Payne’s parents told him their son remained “so proud of what he had achieved,” a detail Cowell said brought some comfort in hindsight.Liam Payne died on October 16, 2024, after falling from his third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. At the time, officials determined he had a blood alcohol level of 0.27% at the time, as reported by USA Today on November 26, 2025. The remaining One Direction members also issued a statement expressing their grief at the time. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostTalking about the tragedy, Simon Cowell said the news devastated him and ranked among the most personally impactful losses outside his immediate family. He also noted that Payne had reached out not for help but simply because he missed their connection.In the aftermath of Payne’s death, conversations about the pressures placed on One Direction intensified. Former bandmate Louis Tomlinson reportedly addressed those concerns in October interviews, saying he did not “blame anyone” for the group’s demanding schedule, though he acknowledged the work was difficult and the pace relentless. Simon Cowell echoed that hindsight can distort perceptions of responsibility but reiterated that Liam Payne’s parents expressed pride in their son’s achievements.