Liam Payne Sparks Controversy: “One Direction Was Built Around Me” — Here’s the Truth
Liam Payne claims One Direction was formed around him — but newly surfaced X Factor footage reveals Niall, Harry, and Louis were chosen first. See how fans are reacting to the controversial claim.
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During a candid appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Liam Payne made a striking statement about One Direction’s formation:
“From what I’ve heard… Simon [Cowell] started with my face and worked around the rest.”
He added that Cowell had promised him success, making him the “honorary member” around whom the band was created.
However, recently released unseen X Factor footage reveals a different narrative. The judges actually began assembling the group with Niall Horan’s audition, followed by Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. Liam’s photo came later, with Nicole Scherzinger suggesting that his standout performance could make him a potential leader—not the starting point.
This visual evidence sparked widespread reactions online. Some fans called out Payne for reshaping history, while others pointed out that early media often centered him as a frontman. One Reddit user noted:
“He was the standout audition… maybe initially seen as the main star of the band.”
