New Delhi, Nov. 29 -- Music mogul Simon Cowell has opened up publicly about the final time he saw former One Direction singer Liam Payne - and addressed growing criticism that he shares some responsibility for Payne's death.

In a candid appearance on the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, Cowell described what he remembers of that visit, and how deeply Payne's untimely passing in October 2024 still affects him.

Payne died aged 31 on October 16, 2024 after falling from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires. Authorities ruled the cause of death as multiple injuries from the fall, with toxicology reports revealing alcohol and narcotics in his system - facts that triggered a criminal investigation.

"I saw him a year b...