X-Factor U.K. releases unseen footage of One Direction's early journey

Recently, The X-Factor U.K. treated fans to a treasure trove of nearly 30 minutes of unseen content featuring the iconic boy band members: Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.

The popular talent competition show unveiled extended footage that delves into the earliest moments of the group's journey, particularly focusing on their debut performance in front of the judges. This remarkable reel showcases their rendition of Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" and a previously unreleased rendition of Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You."

In the lead-up to their performance, the band, then ranging from 16 to 18 years old, candidly expressed the intensity of the situation. Payne, now 30, emphasized, "There’s a lot of pressure today to show that what they’re doing is the right decision. We all think it’s the right decision though because we’re living it. The first performance we’ve got to show that we’re for real and we are a boy band and we can do this.”

For their second song, the youthful ensemble selected Clarkson's hit from 2009. The new footage captures a mix of charm and raw energy as each member takes turns to step forward and deliver various verses. Styles, now 29, soulfully led the chorus while the rest of the band provided harmonious support.

Judge Simon Cowell later critiqued their performance and discussed the rationale behind assembling them as a group. Addressing the group's relative inexperience, the seasoned music industry professional empathetically acknowledged their youthful stage. Despite this, he propelled them forward, stating, “When it worked, it worked. I genuinely think that you work as a band.”

Cowell lightened the mood by playfully asking the band if they had experienced any "falling out" yet, followed by a humorous prediction, “You will, trust me.”

In the past, The X-Factor U.K. had unveiled previously unseen clips, including individual auditions of each band member and exclusive glimpses into the process of forming the "Best Song Ever" boy band under the judges' guidance.

One Direction's journey continued after securing third place in the 2010 reality show, leading them to release four albums, all of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.