Simon Cowell is said to have ‘sobbed’ uncontrollably after being told of Liam Payne’s death aged 31. 

The X Factor mogul’s best friend Sinitta, 61, detailed how Simon, 65, reacted to Liam’s pᴀssing in October, when the One Direction star fell to his death from the third floor balcony of his H๏τel in Buenos Aires.

Sinitta told The Sun: ‘He was absolutely devastated. I spoke to Simon, obviously it was a private conversation, but he usually contains his emotions, he’s quite stoic isn’t he, but he was absolutely gone.

‘Just holding the phone, he was just sobbing. It’s the first time in my life I thought ‘well we normally come to you when we don’t know what to do,’ but he was absolutely devastated.

‘They were like his babies. He went on this journey with them, he was part of it – he was almost the sixth member.’

Sinitta said that fan criticism over Simon’s involvement in Liam’s troubled life has been ‘unfair’.

Simon Cowell ‘cried uncontrollably’ when Liam Payne died as his best friend says he wasn’t to blame for One Direction star’s death because ‘he was a grown man and you can’t bubble wrap everyone’ (Pictured: Simon Cowell and Liam Payne)

Pictured left to right: Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Simon Cowell, Harry Styles, and Zayn Malik on set during One Direction celebrates 1D Day at YouTube Space LA  in 2013

She said that while people have said Simon should have done more to help, he wasn’t to blame for Liam’s untimely death, saying: ‘Liam was a grown man’ and ‘you can’t bubble wrap everyone.’ 

Simon met Liam when he auditioned for X Factor for the very first time at the age of 14.  

And upon learning of his death, Simon released a touching tribute to the ‘kind, funny and talented’, pop star, who ‘never forgot the fans’. 

He wrote: ‘You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens.

‘Liam, I am truly 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 in 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. 

Sinitta said: ‘He was absolutely devastated. I spoke to Simon, obviously it was a private conversation, but he usually contains his emotions, he’s quite stoic isn’t he, but he was absolutely gone’

She added: ‘They were like his babies. He went on this journey with them, he was part of it – he was almost the sixth member’ (Simon pictured with partner Lauren Silverman at Liam’s funeral)

Simon rleased a touching tribute to Liam on Instagram after ehe died describing him as ‘kind, funny and talented

Read MoreBREAKING NEWS ‘We’re completely devastated’: One Direction bandmates pay tribute to Liam Payne

‘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 met all of those years ago.

He continued: ‘I have met your son, Bear. He has your smile and that twinkle in his eyes you have.

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

‘I always thought of the 5 of you in the band as brothers. And reading 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.

Simon met Liam when he auditioned for X Factor for the very first time at the age of 14 

Liam’s parents Geoff and Karen hugged heartbroken Simon as he sought to comfort them following their son’s funeral 

‘Rest in peace my friend. And I am sending my love, thoughts and prayers to your family.

‘Simon X’

Liam’s parents Geoff and Karen hugged heartbroken Simon as he sought to comfort them following their son’s funeral. 

The heartfelt embrace took place outside the church where Liam was remembered in an emotional service following his tragic death.

Simon’s girlfriend Lauren stood at a distance away while he shared a private moment with the grieving couple – who paid a final tribute to the beloved singer with a floral tribute beside his coffin spelling out the word ‘son’.

The music mogul also cancelled the Britain’s Got Talent auditions in the wake of the pop star’s pᴀssing.

He decided last minute to call off the auditions in Blackpool as he discovered the shocking news. 

Before Liam’s sudden death, the pop star had been sttending his former bandmate Niall Horan’s tour in the Latin American country. 

A heartbreaking video shows Liam Payne singing and dancing at the concert with his partner Kate Cᴀssidy. 

Following the gig, he posted a tragic picture with Niall to Snapchat captioned: ‘Reunited.’