What Is Going on With Liam Payne? Let’s Strip It Down

Image of Kailah Haddad
by Kailah Haddad
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Content warning: This article deals with claims of sexual assault and emotional abuse.

Once one of the world’s most adored pop stars, Liam Payne rocketed to fame as part of One Direction. It was the boy band that captured hearts across the globe. Alongside his bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, Payne enjoyed a meteoric rise from the talent show The X Factor to stadium tours, chart-topping hits, and a devoted fanbase that seemingly had no limits. However, as the spotlight on One Direction dimmed after their split in 2015, Payne’s personal and professional life took a turn that few could have predicted.

While his former bandmates smoothly transitioned into solo careers, Harry Styles winning Grammy awards and Niall Horan selling out international tours. Payne’s post-1D era has been marked by a series of questionable decisions and scandals that have left fans and critics puzzled. It’s not his talent that’s under scrutiny, but rather the behaviours and controversies that have continued to plague his public image.

From the infamous Logan Paul podcast interview to his problematic romantic relationships and cringeworthy moments on social media, it seems Payne has consistently been his own worst enemy. Let’s strip it all down.

@eyronwastaken_ #dance #liampayne #stripthatdown #fypシ #fyp #foryou #tiktok ♬ Strip That Down – Liam Payne

The Logan Paul Interview That Started It All

Liam Payne’s public image took a significant hit during his notorious appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast in 2022. What should have been a casual chat quickly turned uncomfortable as Payne made several eyebrow-raising remarks. Among the more memorable moments, Payne claimed that One Direction was “built around him”, a statement that left both fans and critics confused. Even more shocking was his story about a physical altercation with an unnamed bandmate, where he alleged that someone had thrown him against a wall. Payne’s tough-guy response? “If you don’t remove those hands, there’s a high likelihood you’ll never use them again”.

@kiwitbsl liam babes… what is this. you look a bit of a silly sausage. #liampayne #fy #ElectrifyTheMini #onedirection #4u #foryoupage #harrystyles #xyzbca ♬ thank you zayn – 🌠

This comment, along with the rest of his strange claims during the interview, sparked outrage online. Fans cringed at his attempts to paint himself as the band’s central figure and the mystery surrounding the wall altercation only deepened as Payne refused to name names.

The Reunion at Niall Horan’s Concert

After a brief reprieve from the spotlight, Payne recently re-emerged at former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert in Argentina. What could have been a nostalgic and wholesome One Direction reunion quickly turned awkward, as Payne’s behaviour left fans scratching their heads.

Seated in a private box at the concert, Payne wasn’t exactly low-key. Before Horan even hit the stage, videos circulated showing Payne engaging in bizarre antics, including leaning over the balcony to sing to fans and even doing the Macarena — a spectacle that led to a security guard asking him to stop. Of course, Payne didn’t listen.

Fans quickly took to social media to call out his behaviour, branding him an attention-seeker. One user on X shared a clip of Payne dancing and wrote, “Oh Liam Payne, you’re never beating the attention seeker allegations”.

The Zayn Wall Incident: Mystery Solved

Perhaps one of the most enduring mysteries surrounding Payne’s post-One Direction life is the alleged altercation he mentioned during the Impaulsive interview. For over a year, fans speculated which band member had thrown Payne against the wall, with theories ranging from Harry Styles to Louis Tomlinson.

The mystery, however, was recently solved by none other than Payne’s ex-fiancée, Maya Henry. In a TikTok video, Henry revealed that Payne had told her the assailant was Zayn Malik. Her casual tone — “I’ve heard his insufferable stories so many times, and he told me it was Zayn” — sent fans into a frenzy, finally offering clarity on a rumour that had been swirling for years.

@mayahenry #duet with @bee! ♬ Succession Main Theme – L'Orchestra Nazionale di Mendoni

However, Henry’s video didn’t come without backlash. Some fans criticised her for still discussing Payne, long after their breakup. In response, Henry posted a follow-up TikTok, doubling down and making more damning accusations about Payne’s post-breakup behaviour.

Maya Henry’s Revelations: Allegations of Harassment

In her second TikTok, Henry didn’t hold back. Addressing fans who labelled her “obsessed” with Payne, she detailed disturbing claims about his behaviour following their breakup. According to Henry, Payne would frequently message her from different phone numbers, making it impossible for her to avoid him. “He’ll blow up my mum’s phone. Is that normal behaviour to you?” she asked.

But perhaps the most shocking revelation came when Henry alleged that Payne had openly admitted to her that he “preys on One Direction fans because they will always be loyal to him, and they won’t tell on him”. This accusation struck a nerve with fans, as it suggested a manipulative side of Payne that had previously gone unspoken.

@mayahenry Replying to @marie ♬ original sound – Maya Henry

Henry’s claims only intensified public scrutiny, as fans who had long supported Payne began to question his actions. As she pointed out, “When you constantly enable someone, they’re never going to realise what they’ve done is bad. Or they do realise and know they can get away with it.”

Fan Allegations of Harassment: A Troubling Pattern?

Henry’s accusations opened the floodgates for others to share their experiences with Payne. One fan, in particular, posted TikTok video claiming that Payne had harassed her for explicit content over the span of two years.

“I was a One Direction fan. Liam was my favourite. He messaged me on Instagram, and at first, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is so cool’,” the fan said in a now deleted video, describing the initial excitement of being noticed by a celebrity. But what began as friendly messaging quickly turned inappropriate. “Then it turned into him asking me for explicit videos, explicit photos, and I would send them because I was like, ‘it’s Liam Payne, I’m going to send them’.”

The fan went on to reflect on the situation, recognising that Payne’s actions were manipulative and inappropriate. “I took years to reflect on it, and it was harassment. He was harassing me for videos and photos, and I was sending them.” She also noted that this occurred while Payne was in relationships with other women.

As more fans began to share their stories, it became clear that this was not an isolated incident. While Payne has yet to respond to these allegations, the mounting claims have painted a troubling picture of a once-beloved pop star.

If this article brings up any issues for you or anyone you know, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) — the National Sexual Assault, domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service.

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