BEFORE Liam Payne became a household name, he was an aspiring singer standing in front of Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger on The X Factor stage.
He arguably became something because of the former X Factor judges but a throwback clip from the competition show revealed that Payne almost wasn’t a member.
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Liam Payne and Simon Cowell beef explained
In 2022, Payne appeared on Logan Paul’s podcast and made some remarks about One Direction that ultimately upset fans.
During his podcast appearance, he claimed that Cowell created the boy band around him, saying 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.”
However, footage that was later released by The X Factor proved different.
The never-before-seen clip showed Cowell and Scherzinger looking over an array of pictures trying to figure out who they should put together.
Niall Horan was ultimately selected first, then Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.
“They’re the cutest boy band ever,” Scherzinger said after she added Tomlinson to the group, according to Billboard. “I love it.”
“They’re just too talented to get rid of,” she added.
“They’ve got just the right look and the right charisma onstage. I think they’ll be really great in a boy band together. They’re like little stars. You can’t get rid of little stars, you know? So you put ’em all together.”
She then added Payne, but at first, Cowell was skeptical.
“I think that he would definitely shine. He could actually maybe be the leader,” Scherzinger said, while Cowell commented, “He thinks he’s better than anyone else.”
He then added Zayn Malik to the group and showed more excitement.
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“Zayn. Now that is a good idea,” he quipped.
While Payne might not have been as well-liked as the others, Cowell did praise his audition, saying, “He was the standout audition.”
The band then went on to place third behind winner Matt Cardle and runner-up Rebecca Ferguson.
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Why did One Direction break up?
After The X Factor concluded, One Direction won over the hearts of millions with their song What Makes You Beautiful and released five studio albums before disbanding in 2016.
Their downfall ultimately came the year prior, when Malik shocked fans by announcing his departure, citing “stress” as one of his reasonings.
“My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band,” he said in a statement, via Billboard.
“I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart.
“I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
While Malik’s departure might have been upsetting for fans, the four remaining members continued to make music and later released their first single without him five months later, titled Drag Me Down.
However, that same month they announced that they would be taking an extended hiatus beginning in March 2016.
The band’s last album, Made in the A.M., was released in November 2015.
While an exact reason for the split has never been revealed, it has been credited to the band member’s desires to pursue solo careers.
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