Simon Cowell breaks silence in heartbreaking tribute after Liam Payne tragedy saying 'empty'

Simon Cowell has issued a heartfelt tribute follow the death and funeral of One Direction's Liam Payne, who died at the age of 31 after a fall from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In an emotional message, he wrote: "You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens. Liam, I am devastated.

Heartbroken. "And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you.

Every tear I have shed is a memory of you. This is so difficult to put into words right now. I went outside today, and I thought about so many times we had together.

I wanted to let you know what I would always say to the thousands of people who would always ask me. What is Liam like? And I would tell them you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused. And how much you loved music.

And how much love you genuinely had for the fans. "I had to tell you when you were 14 that this wasn't your time. And we both made a promise that we would meet again.

A lot of people would have given up. You didn't. You came back and within months the whole world knew Liam.

And you never forgot the fans. I watched you spending so much time with people who had wanted to meet you. You really cared.

You came to see me last year. Not for a meeting. Just to sit and talk.

And we reminisced about all of the fun times we had together. And how proud you were to be a dad. After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I had met a.