Liam Payne surprised fans with an appearance at the Brit Awards on Wednesday night. The 23-year-old was the only member of One Direction to attend the ceremony, and was on hand to pick up the British Artist Video of the Year trophy on behalf of the band. Liam – who attended without pregnant girlfriend Cheryl – took to the stage to thank fans for their continued support, insisting that 1D are very much still a unit, despite their ongoing hiatus.
"I mean this is amazing," the singer said, as he received the gong for their hit track History. "Thank you so much! We cannot believe we are still winning these. Thank you very much." He added: "We have been taking some time out working on our solo music, but One Direction is who we are and who we will always be."
Liam Payne accepted the British Artist Video of the Year trophy on behalf of One Direction
Liam later took to Instagram to again thank his fans. "What can I say?" he wrote. "It's incredible that even now we are picking up these awards. This is down to the amazing One Direction fans who continue to support us around the world. I speak for every one of the band who are just blown away by the love we get from fans. We wouldn't be here without you. It's an exciting time for each of us working on our solo material, but One Direction is who we are and that will never change. #BRITs."
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Pregnant Cheryl has unveiled her baby bump in a new campaign photo
Liam's appearance at the awards came just a few hours before Cheryl unveiled her baby bump in a new campaign for L'Oréal and The Prince's Trust. The image shows the 33-year-old posing with 14 other ambassadors, including Katie Piper and Dame Helen Mirren – but Cheryl manages to steal the spotlight in the striking photo. The singer can be seen standing side on in a black low-cut dress that shows off her rounded figure. It's the first time she has given fans a clear view of her baby bump.