Despite their global success, music boss Simon Cowell insists One Direction are still ''amazingly nice boys'' and that the young heartthrobs have a ''tough'' job as they continue touring the world.
The 54-year-old star, who formed the band on X Factor in 2010, has spoken out after footage surfaced last week showing One Direction boys, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, joking about drugs and appearing to smoke a joint.
''Obviously it's a private matter for me to deal with. But all I can say, from my own experience with the boys, is that I have worked with artists who have a few hits and they can turn into monsters, this lot haven't," he said in an interview on BBC Radio 2.
Simon Cowell says 1D have a "tough" job (WENN)
Adding: "They really are hard workers, they really like their fans, they're really respectful. They are amazingly nice boys considering how much their lives have changed.''
Cowell claims the 1D boys are working hard to keep fans happy, by saying: ''It's very difficult, because when they're in the situation they're in, where literally the whole world wants them to perform, you've got this opportunity in your life , it's very difficult to turn it down.
"They do get rest periods and they are treated well, but it's a tough job, I'm not going to deny it."
Meanwhile, the music mogul went on to say that he hopes their fans stay loyal and asked them to appreciate their busy schedule.
One Direction play at Wembley (WENN)
''I wouldn't want anyone to think they've really lost the plot or turned into horrible people, because they really haven't," he explained. ''Right now we've just got to celebrate the fact that in just three years they're performing at Wembley Stadium, which is mind-blowing.''
While Simon gears up for tonight's Britain's Got Talent finale and the new series of X Factor, last night he took to Twitter to share: "Very surreal to be at fountain studios today in Wembley where we film X Factor. Just a few feet away from Wembley stadium where one d are."
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