One Direction stars Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Liam Payne returned to their roots over the weekend. It was an emotional night for the group whose career was launched on Simon Cowell’s reality TV show, and it seems that Louis Tomlinson was feeling it more than anyone. As everyone surely knows by now, Tomlinson and his pals are heading off for an extended break once the round of promotion for their fifth album and the awards season is complete.
As One Direction finished singing “History” during the X-Factor finale, Louis showed just how much he will miss being together with his band-mates. As Liam walked to a microphone to thank an ecstatic crowd Tomlinson swept Harry Styles into an embrace before grabbing Niall and Liam for a group hug. One Direction fans will be delighted to have seen Louis and Harry so close after press articles in the Sun claimed that Tomlinson and Styles barely speak and can’t stand to be in the same room.
As One Direction’s break draws closer, Louis and the rest of the group have shown that they have a great deal of affection for each other. Tomlinson and his pals may have a fall out occasionally, but we should remember that these four young men have spent a huge amount of time in each others company over the past five years. Tomlinson and his pals are closer than family, and any family thrown together for as much time as they have been will have squabbles.
As Louis grabs the boys for a group hug you get the sense of just how close these boys are. Niall and Louis are close to tears and the emotion is written across every face. Even the hard-hearted Simon Cowell seemed touched.
#ThisIsNotTheEndOfOneDirection pic.twitter.com/gbKbEQa9Kq
— Sugarscape (@sugarscape) December 13, 2015
Unreality TV reported that Cowell had arranged a celebrity tribute video for Louis and the boys and added his own tribute.
“I know you’re going to take a break, you deserve a break, but I just want to take the opportunity to say thank you. Enjoy the time off. It has been a fantastic time.”
It is entirely appropriate that Cowell should thank Tomlinson and the others, who have, after all, generated a huge fortune for him.
Despite achieving fame and fortune, five massive selling albums, and hundreds of industry awards Tomlinson once again showed that he has never forgotten what really matters. The fans. As soon as the show was over Tomlinson was on Twitter thanking the fans for all they have achieved together.
I hope you realise what we have all done together really is incredible. You guys have made us what we are today! We’ll be back soon enough!
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) December 14, 2015
Louis is always quick to recognize that the fans are the most important part of the equation of commercial success. Harry Styles joined Louis in praising the fans when he said that “no words will ever be good enough to thank you.”
To you, you have changed our lives and no words will ever be good enough to thank you for what we have done together.
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) December 14, 2015
This weekends X-Factor finale was one of the final opportunities for One Direction fans to see Louis and his mates live before their hiatus. Not even Tomlinson could save X-Factors ratings from bombing. When Tomlinson and One Direction appeared in the 2010 final it was watched by a shade under 18 million people. The Daily Mail reports that this years finale drew fewer than six million viewers despite appearances by One Direction, Adele and Coldplay.
The Mirror reports that X-Factor continues to be dogged by “fixing” controversy after eventual winner Louisa Johnson apparently Tweeted news of her winner’s single two days before the final.
As the X-Factorhits an all time low, many think the show is doomed though it has been widely rumored that Louis Tomlinson will feature as a judge on the next season of the show. As Tomlinson and the rest of One Direction head off for their break, it seems unlikely that X-Factor will ever produce that level of success again.
[Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP]