Nicole Scherzinger jokes she thought Simon Cowell burned X Factor footage as she finally gets credit for forming One Direction-Rachael O'Connor-Entertainment – Metro

Nicole Scherzinger is basking in the long-overdue glory of being the person who formed One Direction 12 years ago.

The phenomenal boyband, which launched the careers of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Liam Payne, was famously created on the 2010 series of The X Factor, when the boys were teenagers.

They went on to become one of the most popular groups of all time, amassing millions of fans and touring the world multiple times in their six years as a band.

For a long, long time it was assumed the idea to put the five young solo acts together to form a group was Simon Cowell’s brainwave, however unseen footage released earlier this year shows it was none other than former Pussycat Doll Nicole.

The footage was released shortly after a now-infamous interview from former member Liam, who claimed he was the first member of 1D and X Factor bosses ‘started with my face and worked around the rest’ (also debunked after the release of the actual footage.)

Now, in an appearance on the US Sherri Shepherd show, Nicole has joked that she thought music mogul Simon would never let that footage get out.

‘I always thought it was Simon Cowell who birthed One Direction,’ host Sherri said, ‘until I saw released footage from X Factor of you creating One Direction!’

Host Sherri was in shock that Nicolehad been the true mastermind behind One Direction all those years ago (Picture: Sherri/ YouTube)

Everyone say ‘thank you Nicole’ (Picture: X Factor/ YouTube)

As the live audience gasped and cheered (what a crowd), Nicole laughed and admitted it was ‘kind of crazy.’

‘Honestly, I never thought this footage would see the light of day. I thought Simon burned it.’

‘And it’s really cool that it came out because people are seeing me, like, actually putting them together, the way my mind was working. I just came out of a girl group, I know how successful and how powerful it can be to be a group, we’ve got to join forces.

Nicole ‘never’ thought the truth would come out, joking she thought Simon burned the footage (Picture: Sherri/ YouTube)

Simon mentored the boys and signed them to his record label… but Nicole got the ball rolling (Picture: Getty Images)

‘It’s amazing to think – we didn’t have anything at that time so I’m proud I got to play a small part – or a big part…’

To which Sherri interrupted to massive applause: ‘You played a big part! Simon Cowell you ought to be ashamed of yourself!’

Nicole went on to say that when One Direction ‘went on to be so successful I couldn’t believe it,’ adding they were ‘a part of history.’

Footage released in July shows Nicole, Simon and Louis Walsh poring over dozens of photographs of young X Factor hopefuls as they debate making a boyband out of them, with Nicole declaring that Harry, Niall and Louis are ‘the cutest boys ever.’

‘The little girls are going to love them,’ Nicole insists.

Footage released this year saw Nicole essentially predict the future with hand picking the 1D members and declaring they would be loved (Picture: X Factor/ YouTube)

One Direction are one of the most popular boy bands of all time (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)

‘They’ve got just the right look and the right charisma on stage. I think they’ll be really great in a boyband together.

‘They’re like little stars, you can’t get rid of little stars so you put them all together,’ she added.

Then came Liam, who Simon commented is the most confident and ‘thinks he’s better than anyone else in that list,’ followed by Zayn, with a glowing Nicole remarking: ‘Look at that look!’

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One Direction enjoyed a glittering career before eventually taking an extended hiatus in 2016, a year after former member Zayn left the band.

All five former members have broken out into solo careers, with Harry in particular enjoying massive chart success around the world.

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