HE held back tears in his Netflix documentary when he heard about the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne.
And I can reveal that, as a mark of respect, Simon Cowell sent the emotional footage from The Next Act to Liam’s family and his ex Cheryl Tweedy before it aired this week.
The six-parter sees Simon searching for the next big boyband after the record-breaking success of 1D on the X Factor in 2010.
After the series dropped on Wednesday, the music mogul said he felt he “had to tell” Liam’s loved ones his passing was acknowledged on the show.
Simon said: “In the middle, there was that moment with Liam, which was just horrific. That really threw us. I was very close to him and that was hard. We almost stopped filming. I had to go away, clear my head.
“We took a break for about two weeks. Before that it had been almost every day. I sent [parts of episode three] to Liam’s parents and Cheryl to see, for obvious reasons, and I said, ‘Look, I don’t want you to just see it when it airs’.
‘Made a promise’
“And so the production company sent it to them and they were fine with it. It was respectful, I think.”
The Next Act had been filming almost daily since December 2023, allowing cameras access to Simon’s talent hunt.
But he paused to consider if they should continue after Liam’s death in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October last year.
Liam and Cheryl, who were together for two years, share a son Bear, eight.
Simon said of Liam in the episode: “He was just so normal and down to earth, he always had a sparkle in his eye.
“Everyone adored him. You don’t know how you feel about someone until you lose them. I am going to genuinely miss him.”
After the two-week break, Simon said he realised he had made the show hopefuls “a promise”, so filming resumed.
The group, DECEMBER 10, have just signed a deal with EMI/Universal.
I was lucky enough to watch John, Cruz, Nicolas, Sean, Josh, Danny and Hendrik at a top-secret playback in London on Wednesday.
From what I saw, these boys will do Simon proud.
Lily’s Vic and Bob
LILY COLLINS has had a Posh makeover for the fifth series of Netflix’s Emily In Paris.
The actress has channelled Victoria Beckham’s Spice Girl alter ego for the series, which kicks off on Thursday.
Director Andy Fleming told Biz on Sunday: “There is for sure a Posh Spice vibe going on this season. I noticed it straight away. I mean, her bob. Hello?”
It comes after Lily was stunned to meet her idol Victoria on the set of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Looks like this season will be full of girl power.
New kind of Proff
PROFESSOR GREEN has revealed that he wants to study psychology.
The London-born rapper, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 40, said: “If I could pay my mortgage off tomorrow, I would go straight back into education.
“I would love to study psychology. I think it’s fascinating – the crossover between neuroscience and psychology.”
In the meantime, Pro Green is set to open healthy restaurant PG Fast Food in Glasgow next year.
Of its retro theme, he added: “It’s all very nostalgic for those of us who remember it – but it’s going to be future nostalgia for those who are creating new memories.”
Grinch must be feeling Jaded
JADE THIRLWALL doesn’t do fancy dress by halves.
The former Little Mix singer is one of the most costume-committed celebs – rivalled only by Heidi Klum on Halloween.
But even Heidi would have been green with envy when she saw what Jade wore on a night out in London on Friday.
The singer, who turns 33 on Boxing Day, went all out and dressed up as the female Grinch character.
She even persuaded her boyfriend, Rizzle Kicks rapper Jordan Stephens, to go with the green theme.
Their bed sheets must have been a nightmare to clean . . .
Taylor hands mega bonuses to crew
HER record-breaking Eras Tour propelled Taylor Swift to billionaire status.
And after making fans’ dreams come true with her dazzling show, the US superstar did the same for her tour crew.
The Shake It Off hitmaker is believed to have handed out $197million – around £148million – in bonuses to every person who helped with her shows.
Taylor thanked each crew member with a handwritten letter, sealed with a wax stamp, and a bonus – with each of her truck drivers understood to have received cheques for $100,000 (£75,000).
One insider, who worked in catering, said they were able to pay off their student loan and still have thousands of dollars left over.
And in her new Disney+ documentary, The End Of An Era, Taylor is seen handing out the huge cheques to her dancers.
She said: “It took me a couple of weeks – but it is fun to write the notes.
“It is fun to think about everyone’s lives that they are going to go back to and the time off they are going to have. And the kids they haven’t seen because they have been away for months and making that worthwhile for them.
“It feels like Christmas morning when you finally get to say thank you.”
Speaking to her dancers, Taylor said: “The tour has done really well thanks to all of our hard work so if you would kindly read this message . . . ”
Handing the letter to dancer Kam Saunders, he read: “Dearest Kam, we have travelled the world like we set out to do.
“We have dazzled the crowds but we have missed family too.
“My full gratitude doesn’t come from the bank – but here’s (bleeped out) just to say thanks. Love, Taylor.”
The dancers were seen hugging and crying after receiving the life-changing bonuses.
One dancer even clutched an inhaler after opening her letter.
I imagine I would have hyperventilated as well.
Oasis bank fortune for reunion tour
THE drinks are on the Gallagher brothers this Christmas after the Oasis Live ’25 comeback tour raked in an incredible £303million.
New stats by US music mag Pollstar have revealed Britpop pioneers Noel and Liam made $405,428,435, sold 2,228,471 tickets to their long-awaited reunion gigs, with a nightly revenue of $11,261,901 – £8,430,546.47.
Their 41-date trek spanned five continents and 13 countries between July and November.
And the siblings played to an average of 61,902 people per night.
Meanwhile, the average fan is believed to have spent £136 on a ticket.
I revealed last week that Noel, who has an estimated net worth of £53million, was whisking his family off to the Maldives for a festive getaway after five months on the road.
Oasis ranked No2 in the biggest-grossing tours of 2025 – with US superstar Beyonce holding the top spot .
The Texas Hold ’Em hitmaker saw her Cowboy Carter Tour gross $407,600,113, (around £305million), with an average ticket price of £191.
Coldplay were third, followed by Kendrick Lamar/SZA.
But Shakira, The Weeknd and Lady Gaga all had to settle for spots further down the Top Ten.
Some might say Noel and Liam nailed it . . .
Rushing back into Big Time
THEY rose to fame as teenagers on a US TV series about a boy band – and 16 years later Big Time Rush have revealed they have a whole new generation of fans, thanks to Netflix.
The streaming giant gave a new lease of life to the original series of the sitcom, which first aired in the States from 2009 to 2013 and featured the group playing a fictionalised version of themselves.
Biz on Sunday’s Emily chatted to band members Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Carlos Penavega and Logan Henderson backstage ahead of their final tour date at London’s Ovo Arena Wembley on Thursday.
Kendall said: “We got lucky during Covid because Netflix picked up the show. Everybody was at home just binge watching stuff, so this whole new generation of kids started watching it.”
Carlos added: “It’s weird seeing my kids come to the show because they didn’t even exist back then.”
Asked how touring compares now they are in their 30s, Kendall replied: “We all definitely went out a lot more in our 20s – but now I truly enjoy getting up early and getting to see different aspects of the city.”
Logan added: “When we were younger, things were moving so fast we didn’t really get a chance to breathe and really soak it in.”
From what I saw on Thursday night, the boys are still on their A-game.
- Check out Big Time Rush on our TikTok channel where the boys reveal their Sunday Setlist. Scan left.
This week who would I…
Snog
Marry
Avoid
