According to a report from Page Six, Liam Payne, the One Direction alum, recently explained to podcast hosts from Table Manners with Jessie Ware that his role in the aforementioned pop group was “killing” him.

Payne stated that as a consequence of his role in the group, he was drinking far too often and too much, and it was having an adverse effect on his health. On account of his drinking, Liam explained, he had actually gained quite a bit of weight but never noticed.

From then on, people began referring to him as the “fat” member of One Direction. Payne said to the host of Table Manners With Jessie Ware that he was “really drunk every day,” and he wasn’t able to see what was directly in front of him.

According to the singer-songwriter, Payne’s drinking became a 24-7 thing, with the exception of while he performed on stage. The 26-year-old reminisced on his time in the band, stating that he would drink heavily and say whatever he wanted.

After getting off stage following a performance, he’d be “high off the endorphins” and then get terribly drunk, only to go to sleep and then get up at 5:00 pm to do it all over again. One day, however, he realized he had to make a change.

It was actually a photograph of himself that a paparazzo had taken which led him to realize a change was needed. Payne stated that he was surprised to see he had become “that guy,” but ultimately, Payne was happy he came to the realization.

Liam, who has a son named Bear with his ex-girlfriend, Cheryl Cole, performed alongside Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, as well as Zayn Malik in One Direction. The singer stated that he had become a “shut-in” to force himself to make changes.

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According to Liam, he learned almost nothing about himself during his time in One Direction, and they were “definitely over-worked.” Moreover, when it came time to finally quit the group, Payne explained, he feared to leave due to the success of the band. “It would have killed me,” Payne remarked.