Liam Payne Explains Why He’ll Always Support Zayn Malik Even When He Doesn’t Agree with His Choices

Liam Payne is opening up about his fellow ex-One Direction members.

In a new interview on Logan Paul‘s Impaulsive podcast, Payne spoke in-depth about his relationship with Zayn Malik, how it’s developed over the years, and where they stand today.

During the episode, Logan, 27, brought Malik’s name up when discussing the 29-year-old “Pillowtalk” performer’s 2020 feud with his brother, Jake, after the siblings publicly claimed he was unkind to them during a trip to Las Vegas.

Malik’s then-girlfriend Gigi Hadid posted a tweet addressing the scenario at the time, which read, “Lol cause he doesn’t care to hang w you and your embarrassing crew of YouTube groupies ..? Home alone with his best friends like a respectful king cause he has me, sweetie. Unbothered by your irrelevant ugly ass. Go to bed …”

“She tweeted something about get yourself a respectful man or something. That one didn’t age very well,” said Payne on the podcast, seemingly referencing Malik’s alleged September 2021 physical altercation with Gigi’s mother Yolanda, whom he reportedly called a “f—ing Dutch slut.”

Payne then made his thoughts about Malik clear. “There’s many reasons why I dislike Zayn and there’s many reasons why I’ll always, always be on his side,” he told the host.

“If I had had to go through what he went through — with his growth and whatever else… My parents are overly supportive to the point where it’s annoying at times. Zayn had a different upbringing in that sense,” continued Payne.

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Jeff Spicer/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Liam Payne and Zayn Malik

“You can always look at the man for where he is and say, ‘Oh yeah, whatever, that guy’s a d—.’ But at the end of the day, once you’re understanding what he’s been through to get to that point — and also whether or not he wanted to be there.”

He added, “I can’t sit here and d— on him because of whatever. And listen, I don’t agree with any of his actions. I can’t commend some of the things that he’s done. I can’t be on his side for that.”

“What I can say is I understand and your only hope is that at some point in their life, the person at the other end of the phone wants to receive the help that you’re willing to give them,” concluded the conversation about Malik.

Following Malik’s September 2021 altercation with Yolanda, in which he allegedly “grabbed and shoved her into a dresser, causing mental anguish and physical pain,” court documents obtained by PEOPLE said at the time, he was charged with four counts of harassment.

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In October 2021, Malik responded to a report about the incident published to TMZ, writing in part on Twitter, “This was and still should be a private matter but it seems for now there is divisiveness and despite my efforts to restore us to a peaceful family environment that will allow for me to co-parent my daughter in a manner in which she deserves, this has been ‘leaked’ to the press.”

In a statement to the outlet, Malik “adamantly” denied striking her, saying: “I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private.” He pleaded no contest to the charges.

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Christopher Polk/Getty Images One Direction

Elsewhere in Payne’s Impaulsive interview, he spoke about One Direction’s choice to split and go on hiatus in 2016. “Until the dust clears, you don’t appreciate it for what it is, and regrettably so,” he detailed. “I wished I’d have understood it more while I was in the middle of it.”

“But there was a point when people were like, ‘You could probably fart ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ on the mic and it would go to No. 1,'” Payne continued. “And, you know, you just didn’t appreciate it as much as you should have, really. … We never got time to celebrate.”