MATCHMAKER
Liam Payne praised Simon Cowell for setting him up with Cheryl in resurfaced clip — as he steps down from BGT auditions
The late star explained what happened after he was told 'Cheryl has a crush on you'
FOOTAGE of late One Direction star Liam Payne has resurfaced, with him opening up about being set up with ex-girlfriend Cheryl by his X Factor mentor Simon Cowell.
The singer appeared on TV special Straight Talking in 2019 alongside Ant Middleton and revealed how their relationship blossomed.
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The 31-year-old can be seen in the resurfaced clip revealing it was Simon who set him up with Cheryl after he told the BGT boss that he thought the Girls Aloud star was 'hot.'
Liam told Ant whilst in the car-conducted interview that he was round Cowell's house for dinner when he first broached the subject of his crush.
"I went to Simon’s house, and made a joke about how hot Cheryl was," he explained.
Simon teased: "Well I think I know who the next Mrs Payne is going to be."
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Liam continued: "Then I was in a bar and Niall came in and told me that Cheryl liked me."
"I was like 'Cheryl? Cheryl?' Niall was in Simon’s dressing room, Simon said my name, she went red and left."
Liam continued: "So I just hit her up and when I came back from America we just hung out a bunch of times and it just went from there."
Ant confirmed: "So basically Simon Cowell was the matchmaker?"
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Liam added: "Basically I won X Factor more than anyone."
Ant asked about a possible music union: "Perhaps a Cheryl and Liam comeback?"
Liam Payne fans realise tragic connection between One Direction song and star’s heartbreaking death
Liam replied: "I don't know about that, if she plays her cards right."
He then joked: "I am going to get a slap for all this when I get home."
Cheryl and Liam went public with their romance in February 2016 after they started dating.
The Love Machine singer had recently divorced ex husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini.
Their son, Bear, seven, was born the next year but the pair sadly split in July 2018.
News of his tragic death has broken hearts all over the world after the singer fell from the third floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires.
A devastated Simon Cowell is set to miss filming for Britain's Got Talent - with judge Bruno Tonioli coming in to replace him.
Filming for the ITV1 show was halted in the wake of Liam's tragic death - and will resume on Saturday.
A source said: "This news has hit Simon incredibly hard - he is utterly shocked and devastated.
"He adored Liam, and was close to his family with whom he is sure to reach out privately. He didn't feel it was right to continue with filming BGT, and when it resumes on Saturday, does not feel he'll be in the right head space to continue.
"All the judges and production crew are being hugely supportive."
A spokesman for the programme's producer, Freemantle UK, confirmed they were pausing auditions.
In a statement they said: "Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain's Got Talent auditions. Our thoughts are with Liam's friends, family and all who loved him."
Simon, who famously created One Direction, called off the Blackpool auditions shortly after discovering the awful news.
Liam died instantly from multiple injuries including a fractured skull caused by his fall.
Buenos Aires emergency services chief Alberto Crescenti said medical teams were unable to save the former One Direction heart-throb when they reached the scene.
Liam previously spoke of his relationship with music mogul Simon and claimed that Simon had created the boy band around him.
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He said he "started with my face, and then worked around the rest. I was the honorary member of One Direction. He told me that story himself at his house."
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