Simon Cowell has said he doesn’t feel guilty over the death of One Direction star Liam Payne.
The 31-year-old singer tragically died last year after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
Simon shared that he faced questions and criticism about whether the pressures of talent shows played a role in Liam’s life.
The 66-year-old music icon told the Daily Mail he spoke with the late singer’s parents months after the tragedy.
Cowell reflected on Liam’s determination and ambition, saying: “I don’t feel guilty, because you can’t guess someone’s destiny.
All I know is that he was immensely proud of what he had accomplished. It meant a lot to him.
He also shared that they stressed how much music meant to their son and how proud he was to reach The X Factor a second time.
The music producer explained that losing someone suddenly is very painful, but blame isn’t always fair.
However, he believes it is more important to look at the person’s life, what they have achieved and how they lived, describing guilt as something that can weigh people down without helping anyone.
His comments sparked conversations about fame, responsibility and how people deal with tragedies in the entertainment world.
The father-of-one recalls the moment he learned of Liam’s death while filming Britain’s Got Talent in Blackpool.
Simon went on to describe the news as shocking and compared the grief to losing his own parents.
