In a candid interview on Steve Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO podcast in July 2021, Liam Payne opened up about the challenges he faced with fame during his time in One Direction. He revealed how the pressures of the band’s immense popularity and constant security measures often left him confined to his hotel rooms. With little else to do, he turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism. “The best way to secure us because of how big it got was just to lock us in our rooms, and, of course, what’s in the room? Minibar,” Payne said. He described how this habit of solitary drinking became a long-term struggle.
Reflecting on those years, Payne acknowledged how young he was—only 17—when he joined the band. He admitted that drinking felt like the only outlet for his frustrations at the time. He even compared the experience of being managed and controlled as a young celebrity to an “abusive relationship,” highlighting the lack of personal freedom.
Payne described how this dynamic led to anger and emotional turmoil, saying, “Eventually that becomes an angry person…there were points when it was toxic and it was difficult.” Despite this, he also acknowledged the great times the group shared, albeit overshadowed by the struggles. At the time of the interview, Payne shared that he had been sober for just over a month, emphasizing his efforts to address his mental health and substance use challenges.
This discussion sheds light on the darker side of fame and the toll it can take on young artists in the spotlight. For more details, you can check out The Diary of a CEO podcast.
