Liam Payne wants to “make amends” with Louis Tomlinson after he sadly trashed his former bandmates One Direction.
“I’m so sorry for being so crazy and not doing better for you,” Payne, 29, wrote in a lengthy apology to Tomlinson, 31, via Instagram on Friday.
“I’m ashamed in these times that I’m not as good a friend as you have been to me,” he continued.
“At least I have time now and I’m me again, so I’ll try to make amends.”
Payne – who was part of 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 singer’s ‘Bigger Than Me’ documentary, ‘All of These 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 because of how much I am [sic] looking at you right now you were already my friend and my brother but to be able to look through this window into your world and your mind i [sic] only extends the respect I have for you.
Payne shared his regrets at not knowing what Tomlinson ‘dealt with’ and how the latter ‘kept it all inside’, though he didn’t elaborate on the struggles more than the ‘Two’ singer did. of Us” 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 just with amazing music but with passion and willingness to step off the canvas whenever life beats you down and fights back,” he wrote.
Payne added that he was so grateful to have a friend like Tomlinson, sharing that his former bandmate was “part of a small group of people who literally saved [his] life.”
“You lifted me out of something so dark that I’ve never shared it, but your approach is something I admire and aspire to one day be able to do the same,” the performer wrote. from “Stack It Up”.
Payne sent 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 have worked harder than any of us to get here and now the world can see this from your side,” he said before encouraging his 25 million Instagram followers to see the movie.
“Guys go watch the movie please it deserves it and you will learn a lot about yourself from this very special man @louist91,” he concluded.
Payne’s candid post comes nearly a year after he was criticized for airing One Direction’s dirty laundry on a podcast.
He infamously stated on Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” in May 2022 that he was not a fan of Zayn Malik, who left the band in March 2015.
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“There are many reasons why I don’t like Zayn, and there are many reasons why I will always, always be on his side,” Payne explained at the time.
He also explained 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 having hit his mother, Yolanda Hadid, in 2021.
Malik denied the claim, but Hadid, who shares 2-year-old daughter Khai with him, quickly ended their relationship after the alleged incident.
After fans toasted Payne’s podcast comments, he went on the offensive to clear the air.
“I was saying there will always be things we disagree on but I will always, always be on his side,” he tweeted last June. ” It’s the family. Zayn is my brother and I will support him forever.
Tomlinson, for his part, dodged questions about the feud at the time, but later admitted that he and Malik have yet to work out their own issues.
All five members of One Direction pursued solo careers after the group disbanded in 2015.
The pop stars made their debut by participating in “The X Factor” in 2010.