One Direction was created as a group on the TV show The X Factor UK in 2010, when five solo contestants were put together into a boy band.
Who created the band
The idea to form One Direction came from judges during The X Factor’s “bootcamp” stage, after Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik were nearly eliminated as solo acts. Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, and Louis Walsh were all involved in deciding to group them, rather than send them home, effectively “creating” One Direction as a band.
Role of specific people
Some accounts emphasize Simon Cowell’s role, noting that he quickly saw their potential as a group and later signed them to his label Syco Music. Other sources highlight that Nicole Scherzinger, as a guest judge, played a key role in initially suggesting which boys to put together, with Louis Walsh also supporting the decision.
