Louis Tomlinson reveals One Direction split came down to one member

13 October 2025, 14:06 | Updated: 13 October 2025, 14:46

By Sam Prance

"All of a sudden you get someone thinking more independently and more for themself."

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Louis Tomlinson has opened up about how One Direction decided to go on hiatus and whose idea it was to break up.

Last week (Oct 9), Louis Tomlinson appeared as a guest on The Diary of a CEO and got candid about his time in One Direction, his solo career and the loss of Liam Payne. Most notably, Louis said that he couldn't envisage doing any form of One Direction reunion now that Liam has passed away: "I’m just not sure it would be right to him".

Elsewhere, Louis spoke candidly about the brand splitting and the "cold" meeting that led to their ongoing hiatus.

Read more: Louis Tomlinson addresses One Direction reunion after Liam Payne's passing
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Louis Tomlinson reveals he struggled to find his musical feet after One Direction ended

Discussing the final days of the group, Louis said: "It was awful. I was grieving the band. It was something that I really wanted that I couldn't have anymore."

He then admitted that the hiatus was planned in a meeting between the boys, and said it ultimately came down to one member's decision to carve out a career for themselves.

"Normally, we're arm in arm, it's all this camaraderie. Then all of a sudden you get someone thinking more independently and more for themself - which they have every right to do - but the room felt cold that day. I remember that in particular. There was this emptiness."

Louis didn't say up front which member initiated the hiatus was but fans have speculated that it was Harry Styles.

One Direction on Good Morning America in 2013. Picture: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Louis added that he also struggled with the term 'hiatus', adding: "The thing that really bothered me was it was originally said as a hiatus which is just such a cringey word. So I remember saying, 'If I'm going to try to do stuff on my own, it would be good to know how long this break is for.' A year? Two years? Five years? 10 years? 15 years?'"

"I never really got an answer to that question which I understand now because truthfully I don't think the people or person involved was brave enough to answer that question deep down," he continued. "I think they probably knew the reality."