Liam Payne Celebrates 6 Months Sober After Rehab Stay: "It’s Good to be in This Position"

Liam Payne returned to his YouTube channel on 10 July with a video titled "I'm Back…" having been absent from the platform for over a year. Specifically, following that infamous appearance on the "Impaulsive with Logan Paul" podcast back in May 2022. Heading back in front of the camera, the former One Direction star addresses fans with a personal 8-minute message.

In the video, he reflects on the aftermath of the podcast interview and the backlash he received, as well as sharing updates about his son, Bear, and how he is growing up. Also, woven into his video, is a candid report of his experience in a rehab facility in Louisiana where he went for almost 3 months to "get my head straight". "I was in bad shape until that point and I was really happy more than anything, when I arrived, to kind of put a stopper on life and work," he divulges.

Whilst there, he reveals he didn't have his phone for nearly 100 days so had no way of connecting with the outside world. "Upon leaving actually, it was the hardest point was turning the phone back on if I'm honest with you, because it was a little bit scary. But it was a nice world to come back out to," he adds.

Payne also opens up about his journey to sobriety and how that started. He had previously revealed he had quit alcohol during a ringside interview with iFL TV at an influencer boxing match at Wembley Arena on 13 May. Now, he has reached 6 months sober, detailing that his last alcoholic drink was with his friend Umar [Kamani, CEO of Pretty Little Thing] during a Hans Zimmer concert.

"I was having a drink and then I was like 'you know what? This just isn't serving me at all, I don't really need this right now', and it's the first time I've ever put a drink down without telling someone I'm finished, I don't need it," he says. "And I haven't picked one up since, which has almost been 6 months which I'm excited about. It's good to be in this position and I definitely don't need those things anymore. The party's over."

Payne has previously opened up about issues with alcohol and substance abuse while in the band, telling "The Diary of a CEO" podcast host Stephen Bartlett in 2021: "I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. Where's rock bottom for me? And you would never have seen it. I'm very good at hiding it."

He also addressed his past in a candidly emotional Instagram post, which has since been deleted, after watching bandmate Louis Tomlinson's film "All of Those Voices". "I know you know this but you were part of a small group of people that literally saved my life, you dragged me out of something so dark I've never shared it but your approach is something I admire and aspire to so I can one day do the same," he wrote.

Now, the dad-of-one appears to have turned over a new leaf. He took taking part in this year's Soccer Aid, is back recording, is heading on a South American tour, his health has taken priority, and he might just be in the right headspace for reuniting with Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik. Either way, Payne's future is looking bright. Watch his return to YouTube below.