Louis Tomlinson is still working through his grief a year after Liam Payne’s death.
The former One Direction member told The Independent in an interview published on Saturday that Payne’s death on October 16, 2024 “definitely” brought him closer to Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Niall Horan.
“The best friends are the ones you meet in person and it feels like no time has passed,” he said, noting that their schedules are sometimes difficult to coordinate. “It’s just amazing to see everyone do so well in their respective fields.”
Tomlinson, 33, also revealed that he would “never come to terms with” Payne’s tragic death at the age of 31.
“Unfortunately, at this point I naively thought I would know a little more about grief than people my age,” he told the outlet, referring to his mother Joanna Deakins, who died in 2016, and his sister Félicité, who died in 2019 at just 18 years old.
“I thought it meant something, but it didn’t make any sense at all.”
Speaking about Mr Payne’s death, he tearfully told The Independent: “It’s just not acceptable. I don’t think so.”
The Sun reports that Tomlinson and Malik will reunite for a Netflix documentary in which they will go on tour and look back on their time in the band and their memories with Payne.
According to a report from the same media on October 1, filming has already begun and the release date is scheduled for 2026. The outlet also claimed that the two had signed a multi-million dollar contract for their participation in the reported project.
Tomlinson’s comments came two days after the first anniversary of Payne’s death. The singer died from fatal injuries after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Following Payne’s death, former boy band members released an unusual joint statement mourning his death. “We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s death,” they told Page Six the day after the tragedy.
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever,” they added. “Right now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him along with us. We will miss him so much. We love you, Liam,” Tomlinson said in a statement on Instagram. “We have lost a brother.”
“Liam was someone I looked up to every day, a very positive, funny and kind person,” he wrote in part.
“I feel so lucky to have you in my life, but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I’m so grateful that we’ve gotten even closer since forming the band. Talking on the phone for hours while reminiscing about the thousands of great memories we had together is a luxury I wish I had with you for the rest of my life,” he continued.
“I would have loved to share the stage again, but that didn’t happen.”
