Cowell created and judged “The X Factor,” the show on which he and fellow judges put together Payne’s band, One Direction, in 2010.

The globally successful band that included Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik were first formed on Cowell's reality show, 'The X-Factor', in 2010.

Simon Cowell, The X Factor judge who played a vital role in One Direction’s rise into the spotlight, has issued a statement following Liam Payne’s death. Simon had previously been slammed for focusing on the profits made by an artist rather than their mental health—especially when Liam turned to alcohol as a way to cope with the “isolation” he struggled with while on tour.