Liam Payne has said that 2020 is too soon for a One Direction reunion.

Liam Payne

Liam Payne

The 'Familiar' hitmaker had previously teased fans that the group - also comprised of Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson - may get back together within the next two years, but he has now admitted it may be a longer wait as they are all busy with their respective solo careers.

Speaking to the Daily Star newspaper at the BRITs in London on Wednesday night (21.02.19), he said: "Last time I said a date it was 2020 and we're still not there yet so I'm just going to go with that and we will have to wait.

"Everyone's enjoying doing their own thing."

The 25-year-old hunk - who released his debut EP 'First Time' last year - is busy preparing his long-awaited debut album and is also set to tour this year.

Speaking last June, he said: "It's amazing that we're doing our own thing and then, hopefully one day soon, we get back together and have another great time of it, who knows?"

Since announcing their hiatus in 2015, all members have launched solo careers, and the heartthrob previously admitted they've only been able to show who they really are as individuals since doing their own thing.

He spilled: "When you're in the band, there are certain jobs you have to do and hoops you have to jump through, so that was always a little bit of a strain on all of us."

Liam previously said that if the band decide to reunite in the future, it would be likely they'd all perform one another's solo songs.

He said: "For me the only way One Direction could better themselves from going to playing stadiums - like where else do you play? - is to manage to be, you know, like 'The Avengers', like we're successful on our own.

"Like if Iron Man wants to go and deal with someone, he just deals with them.

"He doesn't call up Hulk and be like 'oh, whatever' unless he really needs him.

"So my thing is, why aren't we like that?

"Like, we should go and boss it on our own and then when we do the show it can be like 'yeah, yeah, just sit down there boys, I'll sing a bit of 'Slow Hands'', you know what I mean? Imagine that?"

The chances of former member Zayn Malik rejoining the group were dashed by the star who revealed he has completely cut ties with his old bandmates.

He said in December: "I ain't spoke to any of them for a long time.

"There are things that happen and things that were said after I left - snide things, small things that I would never have expected. The relationships had broken apart."