One Direction Reunion Unlikely To Happen As Louis Tomlinson 'Despairs' Following Liam Payne's Death
Any hopes of a One Direction reunion could be unlikely as member Louis Tomlinson struggles to cope following the death of tragic death of bandmate Liam Payne.
Rumors had circulated earlier this year that the remaining members of One Direction—Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik—would reunite for a tribute to Payne at the Brit Awards on March 1. However, the reunion did not materialize, and a PR representative for Tomlinson said the performance is now unlikely.
"The Sun has been running a story that the boys are going to reunite at the Brits for Liam. Louis just despairs. He could never get up there and sing as part of the band after what has happened," the representative told The Evening Standard in an interview.
Read more: Liam Payne Privately Struggled With His Sexuality, Sexted Other Men Prior to His Death: Report
The band, which rose to fame after forming on The X Factor in 2010, went on an indefinite hiatus in 2015, months after Malik left the group. Each member pursued a solo career, and the group never publicly reunited.
Payne, specifically, had a successful solo career after the band's hiatus. He released several hit singles, including "For You" with Rita Ora and "Familiar" with J Balvin, and sold more than a million copies of his debut album, LP1.
Payne's life was tragically cut short on Oct. 16, 2024, when he fell from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The autopsy revealed that he died from "polytrauma" and "internal and external bleeding," with 25 injuries consistent with a fall from a height.
Witnesses reported that Payne had been intoxicated and was attempting to escape his hotel room via the balcony, a behavior he had exhibited in the past. Five people were later charged in connection with his death, including individuals accused of supplying him with narcotics and failing to provide adequate care.
