Louis Tomlinson, from left, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles of the musical group One Direction pose in the press room with the awards for top duo/group and top touring artist at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 17, 2015, in Las Vegas. AP PHOTO
LONDON, United Kingdom—One Direction “fully intend” to reform, the British pop phenomenon’s Louis Tomlinson said ahead of Saturday’s final concert before their planned hiatus.
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The four-piece boy band, who have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, are ending their On The Road Again Tour at the Sheffield Arena in northern England.
The group are set to separate for at least a year, leaving the band’s enormous global teenage following devastated.
“We fully intend to come back,” Tomlinson told ITV television.
“We absolutely love this. We had a little sit down before and we decided that we wanted a break.
“We’ve had a very intense couple of years so we’re just going to have a little bit of breathing time and spend that with our families.
“I don’t think anyone could keep this pace up forever so I think it’s the most healthy and constructive thing for all of us.”
The band consists of Tomlinson, 23, Niall Horan, 22, Liam Payne, 22, and Harry Styles, 21. Zayn Malik, 22, quit due to stress in March.
Horan admitted the last gig of the tour would be difficult.
“We’ve done almost 1,000 shows or more over the last few years so to think we won’t do one for over a year will be strange, so it will be a little bit emotional,” he said.
READ: One Direction announces album after split speculation
The group’s fifth studio album, “Made In The AM” will be released on November 13 and they will make a promotional appearance on US television four days later.
Put together for a British television singing contest in 2010, the group swiftly developed a giant, fiercely loyal following of young girls worldwide.
Malik has signed a new recording deal as a solo artist.
“I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight,” he said at the time.
The Sunday Times newspaper’s Rich List 2015 reckoned the band members were worth £25 million ($39 million, 35 million euros) each.