Simon Cowell Says Liam Payne Talked About How Proud He Was to Be a Dad at Last Meeting Before His Death

Mar. 15, 2025

Simon Cowell; Liam Payne.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty; Jeff Spicer/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty; Jeff Spicer/Getty

Simon CowellrecallsLiam Paynesharing sweet words about his son Bear at their last meeting before the singer’sdeath at age 31.

The former One Direction band member waspronounced deadafter falling multiple stories at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday, Oct. 16, Policía Federal Argentina confirmed to PEOPLE.

On Friday, Oct. 18, One Direction’s co-creator Cowell, 65 — who helped launch the band’s career onThe X FactorU.K. back in 2010 — shared the contents of the duo’s last meeting before his death, revealing that the two talked aboutPayne’s 7-year-old son Bear.

“You came to see me last year. Not for a meeting. Just to sit and talk,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram. “And we reminisced about all of the fun times we had together. And how proud you were to be a Dad.”

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“After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I met all of those years ago,” he continued.

“I have met your son, Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in his eyes you have,” Cowell wrote. “And he will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it.”

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Liam Payne and Simon Cowell.David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty

“I didn’t get any dad socks yet,” Payne first joked. “But I am going to speak to my son in a little bit, which I’m really excited about. Bless him.”

He continued sweetly, “He’s so big now. He’s a big boy, and he looks like a mini-me.” Payne paused before adding, “As if we need any more me in the world.”

Payne and Cole announced Bear’s birth in March 2017 with a Polaroid shot of Payne cradling his son, which they both posted onInstagram.

source: people.com