James Arthur reveals Liam Payne's kind gesture after The X Factor
'The X Factor' winner James Arthur has opened up on how Liam Payne helped him after winning the ITV talent show.
Liam Payne reached out to James Arthur after he won 'The X Factor'.
The 'Say You Won't Let Go' hitmaker won the ITV talent show in 2012, just two years after Liam - who tragically died in October aged 31 - and the rest of One Direction rose to fame on the same programme, and the late singer wanted to offer his support at the time.
James told the Metro newspaper's 60 Seconds column: "Liam was a very caring guy. He requested to speak to me not long after 'The X Factor' when it was well documented I was struggling with the sudden rise to fame from obscurity.
"Liam had gone through a similar struggle so he set up a meeting to speak to me before 'The X Factor Tour'.
"He was concerned with my wellbeing and welfare, that's the type of guy he was."
The 37-year-old singer admitted he has been "affected" by Liam's death, after he fell from a balcony at his hotel in Buenos Aires.
James added: "I was obviously affected by his passing because it was clear he was struggling and perhaps in a dark place."
But despite 'X Factor' coming under fire in recent years for its duty of care and the intensity of a sudden rise to fame, James defended his own experience on the programme.
He explained: "The process worked for me in many ways because I went into it knowing exactly who I was and what I wanted to achieve."
However, he insisted that similar programmes have changed focus, while he also understands how people have suffered as a result of their rise to fame on reality TV and talent shows.
"When 'X Factor' gave you a record deal and a pot of money at the end, it was worth doing - whereas now shows just offer you exposure and they're more about the judges.
"I can see why there's a lot of casualties from that because it's a cut-throat business."
