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

Simon Cowell, who helped form One Direction on The X Factor UK in 2010, broke his silence on Payne’s death on Friday, October 18. “Liam, I am truly devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty,” he wrote in a statement.

Simon Cowell founded One Direction during ‘The X Factor UK’ in 2010, leading the group to a third-place finish and a spot as one of the world’s most popular boy bands