Last night's One Direction concert at the Belfast SSE Arena, which was cancelled at the last minute after band member Liam Payne was struck down with a mystery illness, has been rescheduled for Friday. Tonight and tomorrow night's gigs will go ahead as planned.
Concert promoters Aiken confirmed the news in a statement early this afternoon.
"Once again we apologise for the cancellation of last night’s One Direction show. We thank everyone for their understanding and their good wishes to Liam. Tonight’s and tomorrow night's One Direction concerts in SSE Arena, Belfast will be going ahead as planned.
"Tuesday’s concert has been rescheduled for this Friday, October 23. All tickets from last night's postponed concert will be valid for Friday. For anyone not able to attend the rescheduled Show on Friday, please contact point of purchase for detail of how to obtain a refund."
Earlier today Harry Styles revealed that bandmate Payne was "very, very ill', and that they "very much apologise to everyone" for cancelling their gig at the SSE Arena in Belfast last night.
"It happened so late because we were trying to get on and then it was just impossible," Styles told BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans.
"He was trying to get there last night and he was just very, very ill. We very, very much apologise to everyone."
Payne has since taken to Twitter to thank fans for their support and to apologise for having to pull out at the last minute, "I'm so sorry to everybody I disappointed last night. I'm feeling better now. I really hope everyone can make the rescheduled date on Friday. Thank you so much for all the trends and lovely messages you guys did for me it really shows how amazing u guys actually are. As I said I'm feeling much better now and I really can't wait to perform and make it up to everyone later."
This is the first time in One Direction's five-year career that they had been forced to cancel a show. Previously, members had filled in for each other when illness struck.
"To be honest, we feel kind of lucky that we've got to this point and never cancelled one," said Styles. "So obviously, we're all very disappointed."
Mullingar native Niall Horan tweeted that he was "so sorry" they had to cancel, while Louis Tomlinson said it was out of their control, and added: "Thank you for being so understanding."
The Belfast show was part of the group's On the Road Again tour which saw them play three sold-out dates in Dublin at the weekend.
Many fans and parents had expressed expressed their anger at the last minute nature of the cancellation last night with others taking to social media to criticise the band.
Styles, Tomlinson and Horan tweeted their apologies after cancelling their show last night.
I'm so sorry to everybody I disappointed last night. I'm feeling better now. I really hope everyone can make the rescheduled date on Friday.
— Liam (@Real_Liam_Payne) October 21, 2015
Thank you so much for all the trends and lovely messages you guys did for me it really shows how amazing u guys actually are
— Liam (@Real_Liam_Payne) October 21, 2015
As I said I'm feeling much better now and I really can't wait to perform and make it up to everyone later
— Liam (@Real_Liam_Payne) October 21, 2015
Deepest apologies to everyone at the show tonight in Belfast. Very disappointed, but unfortunately these things happen. We're very sorry. H
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) October 20, 2015
We're so so sorry for what happened tonight, it was out of our control ! Lots of love to Liam and thank you for being so understanding !
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) October 20, 2015
So sorry we have had to cancel tonight guys. Unfortunately these things happen... Thank you to all who came down tonight !
— Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial) October 20, 2015
In what may have been an imperfect move for disgruntled fans, hours after the gig was cancelled the band released a video for their new single....Perfect.
