Liam Payne has revealed that he is "absolutely devastated" following his split from girlfriend Sophia Smith.
The singer explained that One Direction's hectic touring schedule was a contributing factor for their break-up.
He told The Sun: "I'm absolutely devastated to have split with Sophia. Being on the tour all this year and being away from her was so hard. We spent so much time apart.
"But in order to do right by somebody sometimes it's better not to do what your heart wants, but to do what's better for them."
The couple began dating in August 2013, having met in St Peter's Collegiate School in Wolverhampton.
The 22-year-old added that he doesn't intend on pursuing another relationship any time soon, saying: "Right now I'm looking forward to some alone time to figure out who I am and what I want to be."
One Direction played their final gig last night (October 31) in Sheffield before taking a hiatus, and Payne also spoke about his plans for the next year.
He said: "I'm starting to think about next year when we take a break from the band for a while. I'm going into music publishing, collaborating and writing songs for other artists.
"I still want to work with Louis [Tomlinson] as he is going into the label side of things, so the two match up perfectly. Hopefully we can develop some great artists together."
