Simon Cowell vows to do things differently as he reflects on Liam Payne's death
26 January 2026, 13:01 | Updated: 26 January 2026, 15:38
The former X Factor judge admits he’s 'not proud' of his harsh critiques and says Liam Payne’s death has made him rethink how he treats artists.
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Simon Cowell spent nearly two decades as one of television’s most recognisable judges with his strong critiques and unapologetic honesty making him one of the hardest mentors to impress.
And now, as he launches his new band, December 10, the former Pop Idol and X Factor judge has admitted it's time to rethink how he approaches artists, especially in light of Liam Payne's tragic death.
Talking about the loss of the One Direction star, to the Sunday Times, Simon said: "It hit me so hard. Outside of my family, this affected me more than anything I’ve experienced. You’re just not prepared for it. It’s only when it happens that you realise how you feel about someone. And I was absolutely in bits."
The music mogul admitted he briefly considered cancelling his plans for the new group. Simon explained: "I said, 'I’m not sure I can carry on.' I couldn’t make up my mind. And then I remembered the promise I’d made to the boys, which was, 'I’m taking you to America.'”
Going forward, Eric Cowell's dad has explained how he attempts to approach mentoring now, especially with his new boy band which he put together on a Netflix show.
"You can’t keep track of every single artist," he said. "You sign them on and then sometimes you keep a relationship, sometimes the relationship drifts. With these boys, I’m going to try as much as I can — through them, their parents, my team — just to always, always know."
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The X Factor launched in 2004 and it quickly became one of the UK’s biggest shows, propelling artists like Little Mix, Olly Murs, Leona Lewis, and Alexandra Burke to stardom.
Of course, one of the most famous of them all was One Direction with members Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik, going on to become one of the most successful pop acts of their generation.
At its height, the show drew almost 18 million viewers and transformed ordinary hopefuls into household names.
And while the celebrity judging panel was a huge attraction point for the show, Simon has admitted he's sorry for how he critiqued.
He said: "I didn't realise i’d probably gone too far," he said. "What can I say? I’m sorry. I’m not proud of it."
In an attempt to change his ways going forward, you see Simon Cowell explain to December 10 on show Simon Cowell: The Next Act, just how stressful such a job can be.
Liam Payne's Audition: EXTENDED CUT | The X Factor UK
He also wanted to show fans how much more involvement he has, as he believes people think he just sits behind a red and gold buzzer all year.
Simon's new boyband December 10 officially launched in 2025 and are set to release their first single and performance dates this year.
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