Niall Horan exposes dark side of One Direction fame

Niall Horan, best known as a former member of the global pop sensation One Direction, has spoken candidly about the darker side of fame that came with being part of the world’s biggest boy band.

The 32-year-old musician went on to carve out a thriving solo career after the group’s hiatus in 2015, releasing hits such as Slow Hands, This Town, and Heaven.

In a recent chat on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast with Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, and Paddy McGuinness, the Irish star revealed that at the height of One Direction’s success, he “literally didn’t leave a hotel once.”

From their X Factor debut in 2010 to their split five years later, Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and the late Liam Payne were unable to step outdoors without being surrounded by hordes of fans.

Recalling a moment in Peru, Niall shared how police once stopped them from visiting a nearby shopping centre after counting 10,000 supporters outside their hotel. 

“We were like, ‘We’ll go there tomorrow,’ and they said, ‘No chance,’” he laughed.

Despite the chaos, he credits his roots in Mullingar, Ireland, for keeping him humble. 

“The Irish thing played a part — I was never going to get too big for my boots,” he explained.

Now enjoying his solo success, Niall admits he sometimes misses the sense of unity the band shared, adding: “It’s a lot of pressure on one person now.”

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