'You ask yourself, Could I have done anything more? But last time I saw him he seemed in a good place'

SIMON Cowell has spoken about the effect Liam Payne's tragic death had on him.

- BY MARK JEFFERIES and YASMIN VINCE

The One Direction star died aged 31 last October after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He had cocaine, alcohol and antidepressants in his system.

Some 14 years earlier, Simon's co-judge Nicole Scherzinger teamed up Liam with his 1D bandmates after spotting their potential on The X Factor.

Simon, now 66, served as Liam's mentor and reflected on his death just over a year after the tragedy. He says: "You ask yourself that question: 'Could I have done anything more? What would have happened to Liam if he hadn't been in the band?'

Some people have attributed blame to Simon, suggesting if he had not put together the band, or if they had had better support, things would not have turned out so tragically.

But Simon says he did not hold himself responsible, explaining: "The idea that you are essentially responsible for somebody's life 10 years after you've signed someone? You can't do that." He adds that he chose not to read comments about him and Liam as it would feel like torture to be blamed unfairly.

He continues: "Having spoken to [Liam's] mum and dad recently, all they kept telling me was he was so proud of what he had achieved." But he adds: "I wish I could turn back the clock, of course."