Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Liam Payne have been tipped to last

He told Event magazine: "Can I be honest with you about Cheryl? I think Liam and Cheryl are going to work... He's a nice guy and he's in love with her. He'll make her happy. I think she was in a bad place over the last two years. And she brought her misery to 'The X Factor'."

Louis also believes Cheryl, 33, should work with Liam, 23, on new music, hailing the One Direction singer as a "great songwriter".

He said: "I think she could have a hit if she wants but she has to choose the right song. She's no Mariah Carey or Celine Dion but I'd put her voice in there along with Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears or Katy Perry. She just needs the right songs. Maybe Liam can write her some. He's a good songwriter."

Although he was full of praise for Liam's songwriting skills, Louis slammed the star and his bandmates as "monsters", claiming none of them will find solo success except for Harry Styles.

He said: "Too much money, too much success too quickly. Simon Cowell created monsters and that was it. They all think they're going to be solo stars. They're not. Only Harry. That's it. Then they'll be sorry they broke up and it'll be too late because there's another boy band. That's what always happens in boy bands."