One Direction formed on The X Factor UK in 2010.
Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik entered the 2010 series as solo contestants. The judges combined them into a group during the bootcamp stage, allowing them to continue in the competition as a five-member band. They finished third in the series, behind Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle.
Although One Direction did not win, the television exposure gave them an immediate international audience. Simon Cowell signed them to Syco Records, and their debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” became a major hit in 2011.
Some accounts describe the group as being “formed” in July 2010, while others emphasize their first public performances later in the competition. Both refer to the same X Factor creation of the band, which took place during the 2010 UK series.