Ant and Dec break cover after Britain's Got Talent filming axed following Liam Payne's death

Presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have been pictured for the first time after the news Britain's Got Talent have paused auditions following the death of Liam Payne

Ant and Dec appeared sad as they emerged from a hotel after Britain's Got Talent auditions were cancelled.

Show boss Simon Cowell made the decision to halt the audition process following the news that Liam Payne had tragically died aged 31. "Simon Cowell has postponed today’s Britain’s Got Talent auditions in Blackpool following the death of Liam Payne. #BGT," a post shared on Twitter (X) read this morning, just hours on from Liam's death in Argentina being announced.

Fremantle UK - Britain's Got Talent 's production company - confirmed the cancellation to the Mirror, with a spokesperson saying: "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."

READ MORE - 'Devastated' parents of Liam Payne leave family home in middle of night after tragic death

READ MORE - Liam Payne's girlfriend explains why she suddenly left him alone in Argentina before his tragic death

The former One Direction singer died at the age of 31 on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of a hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Local police said the dad-of-one fell from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel before medics confirmed his death.

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Stepping out on Thursday, Ant and Dec looked solemn as they left Lancashire's The Grand Hotel. Ant wore a black baseball cap in an apparent attempt to keep a low profile while Dec opted for a blue top and black jacket.

Liam, who was known for being one fifth of the world-famous boyband, found fame in 2011 after appearing on The X Factor, when judge Simon Cowell placed him in a band with Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan.

In a tragic turn of events this week, Liam fell from the third floor of a hotel building in the Argentinian capital. Police, firefighters and ambulances were seen outside of a hotel building after Liam tragically fell. Police are said to have been called to reports of a man acting aggressively at the hotel who could be under the effect of drink or drugs.

A body was found in an internal patio of the hotel. The police were called to the hotel by the hotel manager. It's believed that Liam fell from around 13 or 14 metres and suffered "very serious injuries incompatible with life."

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