SIMON Cowell has paid tribute to Liam Payne following his tragic death at 31.

Last night it was confirmed singer Liam had died after falling from his third floor balcony at a Buenos Aires hotel.

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Liam passed away yesterday afternoon in Buenos Aires[/caption]

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Now Simon, 65 – who first met Liam when he was 14 – has shared a touching post on his Instagram grid page.

It read: “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.”

The music mogul continued with his long essay, writing: “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 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 know 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 all of those years ago.”

Simon also opened up on the bond he shared with Liam’s seven-year-old son, Bear.

“I have met your son, Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in his eye that you have,” he wrote.

“And he will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it.”

In his third slide, Simon added: “I always thought the 5 of you in the band as brothers. And regarding their messages today I believe you were.

“And now Liam, I can see the effect you had on so many people. Because you left us too soon.”

He added: “Rest in peace my friend. And I am sending my love, thoughts and prayers to your family. Simon X.”

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

Simon Cowell

Liam first audition for Simon’s X Factor in 2008 but was unsuccessful. However he returned in 2010 and was put into One Direction, alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.

After working alongside the boys for their massive international success, Simon once confessed he was “annoyed” when Liam chose another label for his solo career.

He told The Sun: “It is a bit annoying if I am honest with you – mainly because it is a another label who has now got your artist who you worked with for so many years.

“We had spoken a lot, him and I, about what he wanted to do next.

But Simon admitted that he should have reached out to Liam and expressed interest in working with him as a solo artist.

He continued: “And I am guessing this because I haven’t spoken to Liam, but I guess he read about Harry’s deal and thought we weren’t interested.

“My impression was that he wasn’t in any hurry to make a record because he discussed this last year.

“He was more into songwriting and I was teasing him saying ‘if you come up with a great song Liam make sure it is for you and don’t give it away. When you’re ready, I am’.

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.

Simon Cowell

“So I was a bit surprised. You have to remember with Liam I auditioned him when he was 14 or 15 years old.

“He nearly made it as a solo artist, then he came back and ends up in One Direction.

“So of course, there is a part of you that goes ‘maybe we should have had the conversation’. That may be my fault but it has happened.”

Liam was was in Buenos Aires for pal and fellow 1D star Niall’s tour when he tragically plunged from the third floor on Wednesday afternoon.

Liam, who shared seven-year-old son Bear with ex Cheryl, shared a post on Snapchat only minutes before his death and showed him and his girlfriend Kate Cassidy looking into a mirror.

The singer-songwriter was staying at Hotel CasaSur in the neighbourhood of Palermo.

Crowds of heartbroken fans have now gathered behind a cordon outside the accommodation to pay tribute.

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They band came in third place on the hit show after they were mentored by Simon Cowell[/caption]

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One Direction went onto sell 70 million records worldwide[/caption]

LIAM Payne appeared to promise his multi-million pound legacy to son Bear before his tragic death aged 31.

The singer, who fondly described his seven-year-old son as a “mini-me”, made the touching vow on a podcast with YouTuber Logan Paul.

One Direction star Liam passed away after falling to his death from a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday.

Speaking in 2022, Liam – reportedly worth some £46 million – opened up about co-parenting the tot with ex Cheryl.

The One Direction star said: “My life now is his, my money is his.

“I have actually got several companies that are up and running that I know he can run one day if he wants to or [he can sell them].”

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It comes as…

• Heartbreaking 911 call from hotel staff revealed
• One Direction fans held candlelit vigils outside the hotel
• The singer posted on Snapchat just minutes before his death
• Rylan Clark and Dermot O’Leary paid tribute to the singer
• His ex-fiancée Maya Henry broke her silence after his death
• Liam’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy’s message before he died
• Harry Styles’ mum pays heartbreaking tribute to the star
• Inside the hotel where Liam tragically died

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Liam and Cheryl were together from 2016 to 2018 and welcomed son Bear in 2017.

Liam told Logan at the time that he was a “lovely boy” and described being a dad as “the coolest thing”.

He also fondly described Cheryl as “the best mum in the world” and thanked her for giving him “full autonomy” to pursue his career while taking care of Bear.

Before his death Liam wanted to carve out a “fresh start” with Cheryl, a source told OK! magazine in 2018.

They said: “We don’t see a lot of Bear on Liam’s social media but I think he wants to prove to Cheryl that he’s getting his life together.”

And describing his relationship with his son in 2022, Liam said: “I see him two times a week, three times a week sometimes.

“And I make sure when I see him, he has 100 percent of my time. I make sure that I’m not on my phone or d*****g around somewhere else.

“So, I like to give him those moments and it’s important, he needs that in his life.

“He needs his dad in his life, and I’m happy he looks at me like a superhero, and I’m hoping to keep it that way.””

The resurfaced comments about Liam’s dad duties come after his tragic death in South America this week.

Champagne, prescription drugs, white powder and foil wraps were all found in Liam’s trashed hotel room after he fell from the balcony at around 5pm (9pm UK time).

Fellow hotel guests revealed the star had been acting in a “disturbing” manner shortly before his fall, with Liam admitting to one woman: “I used to be in a boy band – that’s why I’m so f**ked up.”

Friends said Liam had been in a dark place in the past few weeks and turned to drink as he struggled with his career and other personal issues.

Liam’s record label Universal also reportedly dropped the star just a few days ago.

A source told The Sun exclusively: “His friends have been worried about him for weeks because he was struggling with his career and wanted to release some new music but he felt he wasn’t as good as his other bandmates, which they kept telling him just wasn’t true. He was just always so hard on himself.

“Then in recent weeks his drinking and suspected drug use started to worry his friends, they were actually planning an intervention, it was that bad.

“They were heartbroken seeing him this way – but just didn’t know how to go about staging a proper intervention.

“They’ve been worried sick about him, he’s just been in a bad place for the past few weeks. Lots of his friends had been telling him gently to get professional help or go to rehab but he just wouldn’t listen.

“The day of his death he was acting very off and erratically. One of his friends suggested to him again that he should get help but this just seemed to set him off more.

“Everyone is just distraught – their only comfort is that police have said he would have died instantly in the fall so he wouldn’t have suffered.”

Liam’s family released an emotional statement and paid tribute to the “kind, funny and brave soul”.

One Direction also released a group statement that read: “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say.

“But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.

“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.

“We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.”

Cheryl has yet to comment publicly on Liam’s death.

AMAZON Prime analyst Richard Sherman couldn’t believe his eyes while watching the New Orleans Saints play football.

The NFL legend is part of Amazon‘s halftime Thursday Night Football crew and he was baffled by the poor play.

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Richard Sherman was baffled by the Thursday Night Football game[/caption]

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The Broncos destroyed the Saints 33-10[/caption]

The Denver Broncos destroyed the Saints 33-10 on Thursday night, and Sherman didn’t hold back his criticism of the performance.

“I’m confused, I’m vexed, I’m perplexed. I don’t get it,” Sherman said at halftime.

“They don’t want to tackle. They don’t want to make plays. These are good players.

“Tyrann Mathieu is a good player. The easiest interception of his life…and he drops it.

“I see guys not having effort to get to the ball carrier, to make tackles. Like, I don’t understand this.

“It seems like they want to get their coach fired. That’s the effort they’re playing with.”

Nothing went right for the Saints on Thursday, as the Broncos ran all over them all night.

Sherman referenced how Mathieu dropped an interception that could have changed the game, and even the head coach didn’t know what he was doing.

The game’s announcers, Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit didn’t even know what to think when some decisions where being made.

“But [the Saints are] gonna take another timeout, I guess. Alright. For what practical purpose, you tell me,” Michaels said.

“I don’t know,” Herbstreit responded.

“Even you’re stumped. To stump you is hard,” Michaels continued.

Even Sherman referenced the moment during his halftime coverage.

“And Dennis Allen, you call a time-out, so we can watch your quarterback take a knee,” Sherman said of the strange moment.

NFL fans also couldn’t believe what they were watching, and shared their reactions to Sherman’s rant on social media.

“Richard speaking truth,” one fan said.

“He’s not lying. why would you call timeout then take a knee to end second quarter,” another fan said.

“WE ALL WANT THE LOSER GONE!! FIRE HIM!!!” a third fan said.

“Absolutely brutal stuff from the Saints’ defense in consecutive weeks,” a fourth fan said.

“Even the rookie is questioning Dennis Allen,” a fifth fan said.

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Sherman questioned the decisions that Saints coaches made during the game[/caption]

A FRUSTRATED Kohl’s shopper has called out the department store over its security tag policy, which he claims is ludicrous.

The customer shared his thoughts on TikTok after a recent shopping trip to Kohl’s, where he was made aware of the head-scratching checkout process.

TikTok/ravensblood83

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The man, who goes by Ravensblood83 on TikTok, blasted the department store’s self-checkout as making “absolutely 0 sense.”

“You guys, let me know if this makes sense,” the man said in the video, which has garnered over 250,000 views.

“We were just at Kohl’s, and you know their Nike, their Under Armour, they have security tags, so you don’t steal them.”

The man then emphasizes that his Kohl’s location is all self-checkout without cashiers.

“And we’re doing it, and all these security tags are beeping, and beeping, and beeping,” he added.

“So this old lady employee comes up, and she’s like, ‘Well, you have to take off the security tags before you leave.’

“And, I’m like, ‘Okay, so do it.’ She goes, ‘You do it.’ And, we’re like, ‘How?’ She goes, ‘Well, there’s not employees here a lot. So, you have to learn how to take off the security tags yourself.'”

The man then lashes out at the counterproductive task.

“So, you guys, you literally grab a pair of Nike pants, bring it over, you scan it, you remove the security tag yourself, with no employees around, and then you leave,” the man said with a confused expression.

He then sends a direct message to the department store, “Kohl’s, how is this preventing theft?”

The video sparked an outcry from fellow frustrated shoppers who have had similar encounters.

“I just had this same experience and I couldn’t get a tag off and they yelled at me like sorry I don’t work here!” one person commented.

A second said, “I had the same problem. Had to walk back inside to get them off, by a very irritated employee btw.”

“Yes that happened to us yesterday it’s ridiculous,” cried another shopper.

Kohl’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The U.S. Sun.

Over the past several months, major retailers have rolled out enhanced security measures to prevent shoplifting.

Retailers, such as Target, Walmart, Costco, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx, among others, have locked items behind cabinets, cracked down on the number of items shoppers can purchase at self-checkout, and have begun checking receipts at the exits.

SANJ Jandu is the real-life wife of Dr Bobby Jandu — a man who became unwittingly entangled in an elaborate catfishing scheme.

The sickening story is featured in Netflix’s Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare — here’s everything we know about Sanj.

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Sanj Jandu’s husband’s identity was used in a decade-long catfishing scheme[/caption]

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The scam is featured in Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare[/caption]

Who is Sanj Jandu?

Sanj Jandu is the wife of Dr Bobby Jandu, whose identity was at the center of a complex catfishing scandal.

The couple resides in Brighton and they have two children — a nine-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter.

Their son lives with cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user.

Sanj has established herself as an author, having written a children’s book titled An Adventure A Day.

The book draws inspiration from her family’s experiences and aims to promote disability inclusion while changing perceptions about family life.

To generate interest and support for her book, Sanj launched a Kickstarter campaign.

She holds a masters in pharmacy, which she studied at the University of Nottingham, and also works as a clinical pharmacist in Brighton.

Catfish

The catfishing scandal revolved around Dr Bobby Jandu, whose identity was stolen and used to create a fake online persona.

Catfishing is a term used to describe luring someone into a relationship by creating fake social media profiles.

Kirat Assi believed she’d found the perfect man online and shared a ten-year relationship with Dr Bobby until the stomach-turning truth came to light.

She was being catfished by a member of her own family — the impersonator turned out to be Kirat’s cousin Simran Bhogal.

The deception was intricate and far-reaching, involving stories of witness protection, hospital stays and faked phone conversations — and they even became engaged.

Bhogal fabricated more than 50 fake identities in the elaborate scheme and manipulated her cousin emotionally, leading to prolonged and severe psychological distress.

Unexpected visit

Sanj found herself unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight when Kirat showed up on her doorstep.

Kirat had hired a private investigator to locate Dr Bobby and was shocked to find him living with his wife.

The catfishing victim accused the real Bobby of having been invloved with her for years.

Bobby denied the allegations, telling his wife she had never met the woman and had no idea who she was.

Sanj believed her husband and stood by him, with the truth eventually coming to light about the identity theft and years of deception targetted at Kirat.

While their story has garnered significant public attention through the Netflix documentary, Bobby and Sanj have chosen to stay out of the public spotlight.

A MAN has revealed how his girlfriend’s son tried to kill him by injecting a flesh-eating chemical while posing as a Covid nurse.

Patrick O’Hara, 72, was the target of an elaborate plan hatched by GP Thomas Kwan, 53, after finding out he had been named in his mum’s will.

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Patrick O’Hara leaving Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday[/caption]

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Kwan, from Sunderland, wore a bizarre fake beard and hairpiece as part of a plot to kill his mum’s lover as his home in Newcastle on January 22 earlier this year.

Patrick, who is no longer in a relationship with Kwan’s mum Jenny Leung, was fortunate to survive after the toxin caused a “rare and life-threatening flesh-eating disease”.

Kwan initially denied attempted murder, but changed his plea on the second day of his trial earlier this month.

In a victim impact statement at Kwan’s sentencing on Thursday, Patrick revealed that his life has now “completely changed forever”.

He added: “I genuinely feel as if I have been to hell and back.”

When Patrick was given the injection, he screamed out in pain, but was told by Kwan that this was a normal reaction.

He is now suffering from severe PTSD after spending several weeks in intensive care and having part of his arm cut away to stop the flesh-eating disease from spreading.

Patrick told the court: “This incident should have been the end of me.”

He added: “I remember that, when that needle entered my arm, I felt instant, excruciating pain. I had never in my life felt anything that painful before.

“I instantly thought that something had gone wrong.”

Patrick said his arm “felt like it was on fire” and is now “petrified” Kwan will cause further harm to his family.

He continued: “I have always thought what would I say to him, should the opportunity arise?

“I genuinely feel as if I have been to hell and back.”

Newcastle Crown Court earlier heard how Kwan had developed an extensive knowledge of poisons and collected dangerous chemicals including liquid mercury, sulphuric acid and arsenic.

The GP also prepared letters with a “chilling authenticity” from a made-up NHS department called the Community Associated Nursing team in the build-up to the attack.

His stepdad sadly fell “hook, line and sinker” after he was sent the letter.

On January 22 earlier this year, Kwan left his home in Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, in a Toyota Yaris fitted with false number plates.

He was seen on CCTV entering a Premier Inn in Newcastle, before checking in under a fake name.

Kwan left the hotel a few hours later, wearing a disguise that included a long coat, surgical gloves and a face mask.

He travelled to Patrick’s home, telling him he was from the NHS while speaking in a “broken English accent”.

The disguise was so convincing that his own mum was “oblivious”.

Peter Makepeace KC, prosecuting, said: “Immediately Mr O’Hara felt a terrible pain and jumped back. He shouted, ‘b***** hell’ and explained the immediate and intense pain, but the nurse reassured him.

“From that point forward, the nurse began to noticeably speed up his departure, packing up his equipment and leaving the premises in something of a rush.

“As he left the home, Ms. Leung came downstairs again and commented that the nurse had been the same height as her son.

“Upon that comment, and for the first time, Mr O’Hara began to suspect something was very wrong. He went out into the street to see if he could catch the nurse up and get some reassurance.

“He was too late out into the street and could find no trace of the nurse. He returned home to find the pain in his arm increasing.”

He had grown “obsessed” with money and his inheritance before hatching the sinister plan.

But Kwan was arrested two weeks later and cops uncovered the full extent of his murder plot.

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TEAM Asia have WON the first-ever Reyes Cup despite Jayson Shaw’s final day heroics.

Scottish superstar Shaw earned Team Europe two vital points to keep the competition rumbling on.

But Aloysius Yapp beat Francisco Sanchez Ruiz to create history and put a smile on arguably the greatest man to pick up a cue, Efren Reyes’ face.

• LIVE RESULT: Team Asia 11-6 Team Europe
• TV channel: Sky Sports Mix
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• Explainer: FULL schedule and results

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