Liam Payne Previously Opened up About Suicidal Thoughts and Drug Abuse During His One Direction Career [Video]

Former One Direction member Liam Payne had been candid about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse during his time with the famous boy band. His openness about these challenges lends sobering context to the recent tragic news of his untimely passing at the age of 31 in Buenos Aires.

In a revealing interview on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast in 2021, Payne detailed his battle with addiction while touring with One Direction. He described a period he termed his “pills and booze phase,” pointing to images where he appeared visibly bloated. Payne explained, “My face was 10 times bigger than it is now. The problem was, the best way to secure us was to lock us in a room, and what is in the room? A minibar.”

The singer admitted that this environment led to what felt like a perpetual party for one, spanning years. Reflecting on this period, Payne …