Liam Payne has spoken out after hitting the headlines for comments he made about his former bandmate Zayn Malik.

Earlier this week, the former One Direction star’s interview with YouTuber Logan Paul was shared online, during which he spoke about past tensions within the boyband.

He was also asked about Zayn, who quit 1D in 2014, a year before the group announced they’d be going on an indefinite hiatus.

“There’s many reasons why I dislike Zayn and there’s many reasons why I’ll always, always be on his side,” Liam said.

“You can always look at the man for where he is and say ‘Whatever, that guy’s a dick,’ but at the end of the day once you understand what he’s been through to get to that point and also if he even wanted to be there. I’m so misunderstood by myself more than anyone… I can’t sit here and dick on him.”

Liam added: “I can’t commend some of the things he’s done, I can’t be on his side for that.

“What I can say is I understand…. You hope at some point the person on the other side of the phone wants to receive the help you’re willing to give them.”

As his remarks became more widespread, Liam posted a clarification on his Twitter page.

“I wouldn’t normally comment on this stuff but when it’s your family it’s hard to let it slide,” he tweeted.

“They mentioned a specific incident involving Zayn which I responded to – but listening back maybe I didn’t articulate myself as well as I could have.

“I was saying that there will always be things we disagree on but that I will always, always be on his side. That’s family. Zayn is my brother and I will stand by him forever.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Liam admitted that while he and Louis Tomlinson are now “best mates”, they “hated” one another during their time in One Direction.

The Strip That Down singer also recalled an incident when a member of the group “threw me against a wall” during an altercation, and discussed his relationship with ex-partner Cheryl Tweedy, with whom he has a five-year-old son.