Liam Payne signs solo deal

One Direction’s latest member to sign a solo record deal, Liam Payne has assured fans the band will always be his family. The 22-year-old signed a contract with Capitol Records UK, and released a statement saying: "One Direction will always be my family; I'm now excited to show what I can do as a solo artist." He also said: "I'm really happy to have signed to such a prestigious label as Capitol Records UK. Capitol Records has an amazing history stretching right back before even Frank Sinatra and I'm really looking forward to becoming part of their story.” One Direction went on hiatus last year, with fellow members Zayn Malik, and Harry Styles both having signed solo deals.