Simon Cowell's Britain's Got Talent postpones auditions grieving Liam Payne's death

Britain's Got Talent, Simon Cowell's iconic television talent show, has postponed its latest recording in the wake of Liam Payne's death.
On Thursday, October 17, a spokeswoman for production and distribution company Fremantle UK confirmed the news with PEOPLE.
"Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain's Got Talent auditions," according to a statement sent by email. "Our thoughts are with Liam's friends, family and all who loved him."
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 stated.
"We are devastated by the very sad news about @LiamPayne," the Applause Store noted in a separate memorial post. "We send our love, strength and condolences to all his loved ones, family and friends at this incredibly difficult time."
Payne died on Wednesday after falling from numerous levels at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to Policía Federal Argentina. He was 31 years old.
Cowell, 65, has a long history of mentoring Payne, who originally auditioned for his show The X Factor in 2008, returning to audition in 2010 before of the creation of One Direction.
During the show's seventh season, Payne was joined by fellow singers Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik to form the boyband, which would produce five studio albums (one without Malik) before stepping on hiatus in January 2016.
On Thursday, the X Factor featured an homage to Payne. "We are grieved by the tragic death of Liam Payne. "He was extremely talented, and as a member of One Direction, Liam will leave an indelible mark on the music industry and fans all over the world," the statement continued. "Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him."
Payne's family also issued a statement to numerous sites, including the BBC and PA Media, saying they were "heartbroken" by the singer's tragic death, who was the father of 7-year-old boy Bear.

"Liam will forever live in our hearts and we'll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul," according to the statement.
"We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space during this terrible time," they said, according to the BBC.
Other celebrities, like Charlie Puth, Ty Dolla $ign, Zedd, and Piers Morgan, paid tribute to the late pop sensation on social media after his death. "I'm in shock right now," Puth posted on Instagram.