‘Ashamed’ Liam Payne vows to ‘make amends’ after trashing One Direction
Liam Payne wants to “make amends” with Louis Tomlinson after regrettably trashing his former One Direction bandmates.
“I’m so sorry I was so out of my mind and I didn’t do better for you,” Payne, 29, wrote in a lengthy apology to Tomlinson, 31, via Instagram Friday.
“I feel ashamed in those moments to not be as good of a friend as you have been to me,” he continued.
“At least I have time now and I’m me again so will try and make amends.”
Payne — who was in the now-defunct boy band with Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Harry Styles — issued the mea culpa after attending the UK premiere of the “Bigger Than Me” singer’s documentary, “All of Those Voices,” Thursday.
“Seeing the world through your eyes last night was the most beautiful thing to experience,” the “Strip That Down” crooner wrote. “My neck hurts from how much Im [sic] looking up to you right now you were already my friend and brother but getting to look through that window into your world and mind I [sic] just extends that respect I have for you.”
Payne shared his regrets for not knowing what Tomlinson has “dealt with” and how the latter “held it all inside,” though he did not go into further detail about the struggles that “Two of Us” singer revealed in the film, which hits theaters next Wednesday.
“I’m emotionally drained watching the movie and I only did an hour and a half, you lived it and I’m so proud of how you did it not only with amazing music but with passion and the will to get up off the canvas every time life beat you down and fight back,” he wrote.
Payne added that he was so grateful to have a friend like Tomlinson, sharing that his former bandmate was a “part of a small group of people that literally saved [his] life.”
“You dragged me out of something so dark I’ve never shared it but your approach is something I admire and aspire to so I can one day do the same,” the “Stack It Up” performer wrote.
Payne sent along his congratulations to Tomlinson, adding that the “Miss You” crooner should enjoy all the well-deserved recognition and love he receives for the doc.
“You worked harder than any of us to get here and now the world gets to see that from your side,” he said before encouraging his 25 million Instagram followers to see the film.
“Guys go watch the movie, please he deserves it and you’ll learn a lot about yourself from this very special man @louist91,” he concluded.
Payne’s candid message comes nearly a year after he was criticized for airing One Direction’s dirty laundry on a podcast.
He infamously said on Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” in May 2022 that he was not a fan of Zayn Malik, who left the group in March 2015.
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“There’s many reasons why I dislike Zayn, and there’s many reasons why I’ll always, always be on his side,” Payne explained at the time.
He also discussed how Gigi Hadid called Malik, 30, a “respectful king” in 2020, saying the model’s comments “didn’t age well” after the “Pillowtalk” singer was accused of striking her mom, Yolanda Hadid, in 2021.
Malik denied the claim, but Hadid, who shares 2-year-old daughter Khai with him, swiftly ended their relationship after the alleged incident.
After fans roasted Payne’s podcast comments, he went on the offensive to clear the air.
“I was saying that there will always be things we disagree on but that I will always, always be on his side,” he tweeted last June. “That’s family. Zayn is my brother and I will stand by him forever.”
Tomlinson, for his part, dodged questions about the feud at the time, but he went on to admit that he and Malik had yet to solve their own problems.
All five members of One Direction pursued solo careers after the band dismantled in 2015.
The pop stars got their start by competing on “The X Factor” in 2010.
