One Direction's status as a band has always been a subject of speculation since its remaining four members - Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson - ditched the group activities to focus on their solo endeavors starting in 2016.
Its other member, Zayn Malik, offered several claims about the things that led to One Direction's breakup, but it was the sex rumors that seemingly ended the group for good.
What Were the Sex Rumors Surrounding One Direction?
The damaging buzz started after One Direction released their first number one song, "What Makes You Beautiful" in September 2011. Styles and Tomlinson lived together in a North London flat then.
According to The Mirror, the bandmates stopped talked talking and moved out of the property afterward. This led fans to make speculations regarding the mysterious feud, which reportedly ignited the split.
One source shared a little information with The Sun regarding the breakup, though they did not disclose what exactly caused it.
"Apart from Harry and Louis, no one knows exactly what caused the falling out - they didn't even tell the other boys the full details," the insider said. "But it was very serious and their friendship has never recovered."
Tomlinson and Horan told Directioners not to believe the rumor about their alleged refusal to travel together that led to the fallout.
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On the other hand, Malik sparked controversial talks when he said that the Larry Stylinson - Styles and Tomlinson's fan fiction - played a huge role in the problem.
"It's not funny, and it still continues to be quite hard for them," he told The Fader. "They won't naturally go put their arm around each other because they're conscious of this thing that's going on, which is not even true. They won't do that natural behaviour."
Styles did not comment on his sexuality at that time, but Tomlinson said he identifies himself as heterosexual. The "Bigger Than Me" singer added that the speculation took a toll on his relationships with the "Watermelon Sugar" hitmaker and his then-girlfriend, Eleanor Calder.
Amid One Direction's hiatus, Tomlinson and Styles have constantly shown they reconciled their friendship as they made public appearances together with Payne and Horan.
