One Direction reunion: Everything we know so far about 1D's 10th anniversary

One Direction are marking their 10th anniversary
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George Fenwick23 July 2020
The Weekender

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Today marks the 10th anniversary of One Direction, and the band are posting on social media as a special treat for their fans.

The boy band were matched together on X Factor and went on to become megastars, releasing five albums and becoming one of the highest-selling boy bands of all time.

With July 23 marking the day Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne were grouped together, the band have special surprises in store to mark the occasion.

When and why did One Direction split?

Getty Images

Initially, Zayn Malik left One Direction and the band continued as a four-piece for a short time.

In a statement on Facebook, Malik, then 22, said it was “the right time” for him to leave the band.

"I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart," he said.

"I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world."

That year, while promoting their fifth album Made in the A.M., it was announced the band would be going on hiatus in 2016.

Ian West/PA Archive/PA Images

Made in the A.M. was released in November 2015, and the following January, US Weekly reported that the hiatus was becoming a permanent split.

The band members denied the report initially, but by the following year, each member had released solo material, and no word of a reunion was heard.

In February 2018, the band dissolved their touring company, indicating that One Direction was over for good.

Is there going to be a reunion?

Sort of. To mark the ten year anniversary of the band, a special website has launched which will take fans back through the band’s history.

Featuring an archive of music videos, artwork, performances and behind-the-scenes footage, the website will take fans right from their first X-Factor auditions to their hiatus.

The band shared an Instagram post for the first time in four years, which read: “10 years of One Direction” with a reference to their song, "History".

There will also be a brand-new 10th anniversary video for fans, which will collect clips from music videos and more rarely-seen footage to celebrate the band’s career.

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