In a recent episode of Stephen Bartlett’s “The Diary of a CEO” podcast, Simon Cowell opened up about his reflections on One Direction, the boy band he helped create on The X Factor. While he praised the group’s success and their numerous hits, he expressed regret over not owning the band name, which he believes could have opened doors for various projects, including animated spin-offs.
Cowell recalled telling the members, “Our goal is for you to have enough hits that if you ever reform, you can do stadium tours.” When asked about the possibility of a reunion, he remarked, “I doubt it.”
One Direction, composed of Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson, disbanded in 2016 to pursue solo careers, and each member retains the rights to the name. Cowell noted, “I should have kept the name … I should have owned the name,” lamenting that it restricts him from creating new ventures related to the band without their consent. He humorously added, “If you’re listening, I’ll buy it back from you.”
He further explained the implications of the members owning the name, suggesting that if he had retained it, he could have more easily organized a reunion tour regardless of individual members’ availability.
