Liam Payne 'so comfortable' with Simon Cowell during final Cotswolds meetup with Bear and Eric

Simon Cowell's brother, Tony Cowell, reflects on the 15 years that he knew and loved his friend Liam Payne, from the early days of X Factor fame to world stardom and fatherhood

Liam Payne has tragically died at the age of 31. Here, Simon Cowell's brother, Tony Cowell, reflects on their 15 years of friendship. He shares details from the memorable day he first met the "sweet" teen, the intense highs and lows of One Direction fame, and all that came after. Tony also recalls his final meeting, and shares how Liam continued to bond with mentor Simon, seeking advice and sharing playdates with their young sons.

Liam always gave the best hugs. He was a huge hugger. The last time I saw him, he came bounding up to me and my wife Emma, “Hey, how are you guys?” full of big, warm cuddles. It had been a little while since we’d last seen him, but it was as if it was just 10 minutes ago. Or like when we were back in the studio at Wembley about to watch him perform on TV.

He was always exactly the same, no matter how long it had been. I knew Liam for 15 years and he hadn’t changed at all from the sweet 16-year-old we all first met at The X Factor. He was just an angel. So it’s all just surreal he’s no longer with us, a terrible nightmare. As a family, we are completely devastated.

When I first met Liam and the One Direction boys, they were babies, just teenagers. I was reporting on the show for Heart Radio, so Emma and I were there every Saturday and Sunday night, backstage. Most of the boys in the band would love to be in Louis's dressing room, which is where we all hung out, then would run through the corridors to Simon's dressing room.

The X Factor was at its zenith, 20 million people watching it every weekend. Liam was nervous about the live shows, yet he was really determined. He was always very quiet, but polite, asking me for advice because everybody wanted to please Simon. And that’s the thing about him, he always wanted to be better.

After one of Liam’s first auditions, Simon had said he wanted to see a bit more from him and I think that set him on a sort of mission. So after each performance, he wanted to know what I thought or what Emma thought. As the weeks went on and their star began to rise, he didn't change. He spoke to every fan who approached him because he was so grateful to be in the position he was. It was what he always wanted. It was a dream coming true for him.

And he shone. Off stage there was a quiet nervousness to him, but when he was on stage, it was like he was home. He just had this presence. He was given lead vocals in the early days because he was so good vocally. As the band began to find their feet, Liam stood out as he had that extra gravitas, a quiet maturity, which was astounding for a teenage boy performing on live TV in front of millions of people.

I think because he had auditioned for the show before and not got through to the live shows, he took it that bit more seriously than the others. Harry and Niall would be running up and down corridors, playing pranks and mucking about, but Liam had a quiet serenity. He wanted his dream to come true and was so determined. He used to bring his family and friends along into Louis’s dressing room and would always speak to my mum, who adored him. All the boys made a fuss of her, but Liam took that extra bit of time.

He was always so kind and gentle and, as I watched him grow up over the years, that never changed. He was exactly the same down-to-earth boy he had been at 16. I’ve known him for half his life and he never changed, which I think is a testament to his upbringing and his manners and how humble he was. He was an angel who achieved success bigger than he could ever have imagined. One Direction were the biggest boy band of this century and it’s incredible what they achieved.

Going from a regular teenager to a global superstar was overwhelming for all the boys – thrilling and exciting. That’s when Liam’s privacy became so precious to him and he would try to guard that.

Simon and Cheryl were always very close, so Liam’s relationship with Cheryl and the birth of Bear joined them all even closer. Becoming a dad changed his life. He matured. It grounded him and gave him this incredible love he wasn't expecting. When he spoke about Bear his eyes just lit up.

I've seen Simon go through that when he became a father – your life changes as you didn’t know you could experience such love. But being with Cheryl kept Liam in the spotlight, which made it hard for him. He was still so young, in his twenties, having a very high-profile relationship and then a very high-profile break-up. Being scrutinised was incredibly difficult for him.

Liam was still dealing with the break-up of One Direction. It was hard for him, watching some of the other boys doing their own thing. None of us knows what it was like to stand in their shoes and experience the highs and the lows that they went through. I think the band breaking up was the beginning for Liam of losing his way. He'd been watching Harry’s career fly, becoming a superstar across the world as a solo artist. That must have really hurt him as he wondered what he was going to do. He didn’t want to take anything away from the other’s success but was a little lost in himself. Being around the warmth of our family seemed to help him.

Throughout the years, he always kept in touch with Simon. Only a few months ago, he visited Simon at his house in the Cotswolds and took Bear along because he knew Simon’s son Eric would be there. He felt so comfortable being with Eric and Simon. He still looked to Simon for advice and direction. Through the years, when he’s dealt with different problems and been trying to find his feet, Simon would always try to help. They had such respect for each other.

Liam wasn’t looking for approval but he wanted to learn what he could do better, whether it was on stage, as a father or as a friend. He was so kind, had time for everybody and cared so deeply. He developed as an artist and a performer, but he always retained that down-to-earth kindness. He made time for everybody and was so thoughtful and generous.

After I heard about his death, I was reminiscing with Louis Walsh about the early days, the first time Liam sang on TV, his charisma… Louis said he was the perfect pop star. Not only did he look great, he could sing and he worked so so hard. He was ambitious, and he took it very seriously. He took everything very seriously. Back then, no one could have foreseen the global superstars they would become. They broke America. They did all the things that a boy band hadn't done since the Beatles. They became a phenomenon nobody has seen for a generation.

His life ending so suddenly and so young is tragic. I feel deeply for his family. They were so close, always so proud of him. I'll always remember him as a young boy starting off, asking for advice, being so warm and friendly to Simon and my mum. I remember his sweetest smile and his biggest warm hugs. Those are the memories I will always hold on to. Now there will be so much speculation and so much unpicking of parts of his life that he might have preferred to keep private. But I hope people focus on the incredible legacy of the music, the joy that he brought millions of people, which will last forever and is part of music history.

For all of the outpouring of grief around the world, I’ll remember him as a beautiful young man just trying to battle his demons. And there is a little seven-year-old who doesn't have his dad any more. Today, I think that’s all any of us can think about.