In August this year, Payne was announced as a judge on a new Netflix talent show alongside former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland and The Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger.
Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton in the UK, first tried for stardom when he auditioned for ITV talent show The X Factor in 2008 – but judge Simon Cowell told him to “come back in two years”.
He did, impressing the judges more in 2010, and was put together with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage and One Direction were born.
The group had four UK number one albums and four number one singles as well as topping charts around the world, before Zayn Malik left in 2015, prompting the band’s hiatus.
In 2017, Payne’s debut solo single Strip That Down, which peaked at number three on the Official UK Chart, and his collaboration with Rita Ora on the song For You – from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack – also reached the top 10.
He began a relationship with Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy in 2016 and they had a son, Bear, the following year. The couple split in 2018.
The BBC has seen a cease and desist letter against the singer earlier this week from another of Payne’s former partners, Maya Henry.
It “pertains to alleged egregious conduct”.
She had posted on social media accusing him of repeatedly contacting her. Payne did not respond to the accusations.