- Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com
One Direction have reportedly turned down an offer to reunite for an appearance next month’s BRIT Awards and pay tribute to their late bandmate Liam Payne.
The group were reportedly approached by bosses about the prospect of performing live at the event on March 1.
However, sources have told The Sun that Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik have all decided against the idea.
It’s now increasingly unlikely that any of the stars will attend the ceremony, with insiders sharing that they feel it could distract from remembering Liam at the event.
Liam died aged 31 in October following a drug binge, when he fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina. His medical cause of death has now been announced to be ‘polytrauma’, a term which means a person has multiple traumatic injuries to their body.
While Liam’s passing did bring the band back into contact for the first time since Zayn left the band in 2015, it’s thought that they have no plans for any projects as One Direction in the foreseeable future.
One Direction have reportedly turned down an offer to reunite for an appearance next month’s BRIT Awards and pay tribute to their late bandmate Liam Payne (pictured together in 2013)
A source said: ‘It has been a really emotional time for the lads and it was decided that a performance would just be too much.
‘They have grieved in private and don’t feel the need to do a big, showy tribute for the sake of it. Millions of fans will be disappointed not to see them back on stage together but the time is just not right.
‘Apart from anything else, Zayn lives in America now and they are all at different places in life. A One Direction reunion is not on the cards at all.’
Another source shared that Jack Whitehall, who will host this year’s BRITs is expected to ‘say a few words’ on Liam’s death, and a tribute will be a ‘strong section of the show.’
It’s thought that Liam’s family are being ‘kept in the loop’ on he tribute plans, but aren’t directly involved.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for the BRIT Awards, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan for comment.
Liam was found dead by police on October 16 following a fall from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
He was laid to rest in a moving ceremony on October 31 after his body was returned to the UK, with all four members of One Direction attending his funeral.
It’s become increasingly unlikely that any of the stars will attend the ceremony, with insiders sharing that they feel it could distract from remembering Liam, after his death in October
Last month, fans were delighted to see Louis support Zayn by attending his concert in Los Angeles, proving that the pair’s feud had thawed.
Sending the crowd into a frenzy of screams at the gig on Wednesday, Zayn informed them: ‘Tonight’s something special. An old friend of mine is here for me tonight.’
The Pillowtalk hitmaker – who quit the chart-topping boy band in 2015, the year before they announced their indefinite hiatus – didn’t want to give away Louis’ location to avoid fans all rushing at once to try and meet him.
He added: ‘He’s hidden somewhere here.
‘I don’t want to give his location away, but Louis is here tonight.’
