What happened on the Logan Paul podcast with Liam Payne? Louis Tomlinson claims he’ll “forever despise” the influencer for the interview 

One Direction member Louis Tomlinson has publicly stated that he will “forever despise” influencer and podcaster Logan Paul for how he handled a 2022 interview with the late Liam Payne.

When asked by The Independent on October 18, 2025, Tomlinson discussed his time in One Direction, the stresses of celebrity life, and how the podcast appearance affected Payne's public image.

“I f**king forever despise [Logan Paul], horrible, horrible little f**ker, I think that’s also the problem with some of this new ‘media’… I would like to think most journalists," he said, later correcting himself, "some journalists have a duty of care."

In the 2022 episode of Impaulsive, Payne made a series of statements that were immediately met with criticism. Payne admitted that he and Tomlinson didn't get along at first in One Direction, but eventually became best friends.

But the most controversial part was when Payne said that Simon Cowell had “formed the band around him,” implying he was the central figure in One Direction’s formation and leadership. In his interview with The Independent, Tomlinson agreed that Payne was right about his role in the band.

"It was definitely a role that was assigned to him. That is the truth."

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Liam Payne’s response to the Impaulsive interview and contributions to One Direction

2012 Logie Awards - Arrivals (Image via Getty)

After the controversy surrounding his appearance on Impaulsive in 2022, Liam Payne responded to the incident with a direct apology and an explanation. In July 2023, he posted an eight-minute video on YouTube where he reflected on the consequences of the interview and took full responsibility for what he said.

Liam Payne explained that he did not want anyone to be blamed for the divisive remarks he made on Logan Paul's podcast and acknowledged that he was “angry at what was going on” around him and “frustrated“ with his career. He said it was hard to watch the interview again.

“It’s hard for me to watch back. I think in the moment you make those videos, you don’t realize the impact that your words might have on other people.”

Payne also spoke fondly about his relationship with his bandmates, saying:

“The boys really stuck by me when I needed them most, they kinda came to the rescue. Even Zayn, as well, which is why I did send him a little thank you online. It came across really big-headed, didn’t it?”

Looking back on the aftermath of the episode, he concluded candidly:

“Looking back on it, the whole podcast was a big ‘L’ and not the Liam kind.”

Liam Payne, born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England, was one of the five members of One Direction, the boy band formed in 2010 on The X Factor UK by Simon Cowell.

Alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, Payne contributed to the global success of One Direction, including hits like What Makes You Beautiful, Story of My Life, and Night Changes. After the group's hiatus in 2016, Liam Payne began a solo career, releasing singles like Strip That Down and Stack It Up, and his debut album, LP1, in 2019.

At the time of his death in October 2024, Liam Payne was 31 years old. He was on a private trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, when he reportedly died after falling from a hotel balcony in the city. Authorities confirmed the incident and classified it as a fatal fall.

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Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Shreya Das