Britain’s Got Talent, the popular television talent series created by and featuring Simon Cowell, has postponed its latest taping following Liam Payne’s death.
A spokesperson for production and distribution company Fremantle UK confirmed the news to PEOPLE on Thursday, Oct. 17.
“Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions,” an email statement read. “Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him.”
Ticket organizer the Applause Store first announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday that a planned audition filming in Blackpool, England had been postponed “due to the tragic passing” of the One Direction member on Wednesday, noting that the long-running talent show “decided to postpone today’s auditions in Blackpool.”
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause,” the company wrote.
“We are devastated about the very sad news about @LiamPayne,” the Applause Store wrote in a separate tribute post. “We send our love, strength and condolences to all his loved ones, family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”
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Payne was pronounced dead on Wednesday after he fell multiple stories at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Policía Federal Argentina confirmed to PEOPLE. He was 31 years old.
Cowell, 65, has an early history of mentoring Payne — who first auditioned for Cowell’s series The X Factor in 2008, before returning to audition again in 2010 ahead of the formation of One Direction. During the show’s seventh season, Payne was grouped with fellow singers Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik to round out the boyband, which would release five studio albums (including one without Malik) before going on hiatus in January 2016.
On Thursday, the X Factor shared a tribute to Payne on X. “We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne. He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world,” the statement read. “Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.”
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Payne’s family also released a statement to multiple outlets, including the BBC and PA Media, noting that they were “heartbroken” by the sudden loss of the singer, who was father to 7-year-old son Bear.
“Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” the statement read.
“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time,” they continued, per the BBC.
Other stars including Charlie Puth, Ty Dolla $ign, Zedd and Piers Morgan shared tributes to the late pop star on social media following his death. “I am in shock right now,” Puth wrote on Instagram. “Liam was always so kind to me. He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I can not believe he is gone.”
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