"It’s gonna be forced if it happens" — Fans divided over potential One Direction reunion at the BRIT Awards to honor Liam Payne

After Liam Payne’s tragic demise, several reports from publications like The Sun claim that the popular boy band One Direction could possibly come together at the Brit Awards to pay tribute to the deceased singer.

The annual awards will reportedly honor the best of British pop and include a tribute to Liam Payne. There are rumors that the remaining members of One Direction—Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik—may reunite after a decade.

While there has been no official confirmation about the same, as soon as the news reached the realms of social media, several netizens began reacting to it by pouring in their views. As an X user, @21metgala posted about the possibility of One Direction reuniting on the platform, another netizen responded and said:

“Really really hope they don’t reunite, it’s gonna be forced if it happens and I know they’re not ready and I’m not ready to see them together again just yet.”

Social media users comment on the reports of One Direction reuniting to pay tribute to Payne (Image via X)

Furthermore, others also had a similar view, and wrote how they “don’t need that.”

“Nawww we don’t need that,” added one X user on the post.

“DON'T. PLAY. WITH. MY. HEART. Im not joking. Dont.,” commented another.

“Why do they lie to us? It's horrible that they play with people's feelings,” exclaimed one more.

On the other hand, there were also a few people who were delighted to hear the news, as many said:

“It's heartbreaking to honor Liam Payne posthumously but a fitting tribute to his legacy. A One Direction reunion would be a bittersweet moment, celebrating his life and their bond,” commented one social media user.

“Oh this is going to be emotional!” exclaimed another.

“A One Direction reunion at the BRITs? This could be the moment we’ve all been waiting for!” stated one more.

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One Direction was formed in 2010: Details explored as several publications report about the band reuniting to pay tribute to Liam Payne

One Direction, the popular boy band comprising Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson was established in 2010. The band was signed with Simon Cowell’s label, Syco Records. During the time that the band was together, they released multiple singles and albums.

A few of them were What Makes You Beautiful, Best Song Ever, Story Of My Life, Drag Me Down, Live While We’re Young, Up All Night, Take Me Home, Midnight Memories, Four and even Made in the A.M.

However, after Zayn Malik's exit in 2015, the group decided to go on hiatus in 2016 and announced that each of the members would now be working on separate projects.

The official confirmation of a One Direction performance to honor Liam Payne is still awaited. However, it's worth mentioning that in recent years, the Brit Awards have paid tributes to celebrities like David Bowie and George Michael.

Liam Payne tragically passed away on October 16, 2024, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31 years old when he fell from a third-floor balcony while traveling with his partner, Cassidy.