Dating the One Direction boys made us Instagram stars – now we’re raking in a fortune on social media

THE One Direction boys have never been short of girlfriends. But when the relationships ended, the girls’ Instagram careers were just getting started. For those who weren’t already famous when they started dating a member of the world’s biggest boyband, the connection catapulted them into the limelight and, in some cases, secured them millions of […]

THE One Direction boys have never been short of girlfriends.

But when the relationships ended, the girls’ Instagram careers were just getting started.

Getty Images - Getty

The One Direction boys have had their fair share of relationships, some of their exes have enjoyed the ride and took the opportunity to become social media stars[/caption]

For those who weren’t already famous when they started dating a member of the world’s biggest boyband, the connection catapulted them into the limelight and, in some cases, secured them millions of followers on social media.

While some girls enjoyed lengthy relationships with either Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Harry Styles or Louis Tomlinson, others dated for just a matter of weeks, so time is no barrier when it comes to finding fame post-1D.

The savviest exes now enjoy the life of an influencer, promoting fashion brands, cosmetic giants and exotic holidays.

Miranda Knox looks at the direction some of the exes’ lives have taken.

Neelam Gill

Getty Images - Getty

Neelam Gill dated Zayn Malik and now has over 190,000 Instagram followers[/caption]

Dated: ZAYN MALIK

Followers: 193,000

Potential earnings per post: £970

Getty - Contributor

The couple dated soon after the end of his engagement to Perrie Edwards[/caption]

Zayn’s supermodel girlfriend Gigi Hadid is expecting their baby soon but before her there were a string of beauties, including Neelam.

The model, now 25, was discovered at 14 and has worked with Burberry, Abercrombie & Fitch and appeared in Vogue and Elle mags.

She was catapulted to fame after being linked to Zayn soon after the end of his engagement to Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards.

Neelam is the face of L’Oreal Paris.

Getty Images

The model, 25, has worked with a number of luxury brands and is now the face of L’Oreal Paris[/caption]

Briana Jungwirth

Dated: LOUIS TOMLINSON

Followers: 527,000

Potential earnings per post: £2,600

Xposure

The ex-couple had a baby, Freddie Reign, after a short fling in 2015[/caption]

Louis gave the world the first 1D baby after a fling with Briana in 2015.

The LA stylist was flung straight into the limelight and her father Joe claimed she found it “tough”.

Her social media accounts are now a mix of bikini photos and cute snaps of the couple’s four-year-old son, Freddie Reign.

Briana, 28, is rumoured to be dating Kim Kardashian’s step-brother Brody Jenner.

Danielle Peazer

Dated: LIAM PAYNE

Followers: 1.1million

Potential earnings per post: £5,500

Twitter

The couple dated for two years in 2011[/caption]

Liam shares three-year-old son Bear with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Tweedy, but before he became a dad he had two long-term relationships with two unknowns.

He started dating backing dancer Danielle, 32, in 2011, and since the end of their two-year romance she has become a major fitness influencer, posting daily workout videos to help her million followers get in shape.

She is friends with Zayn’s ex Perrie Edwards.

Sophia Smith

Dated: LIAM PAYNE

Followers: 1million

Potential earnings per post: £5,000

Getty - Contributor

The couple dated for two years until 2015, Liam said of Sophia she was his ‘childhood crush’[/caption]

The fashion graduate dated Liam for two years before their split in October 2015.

They went to the same school and Liam had described her as his “childhood crush”.

Now Sophia, 26, regularly updates her 1million followers with snaps modelling bikinis and clothes in some of the fanciest hotels around the world for fashion giant Revolve.

She has kept a close friendship with Louis’ current girlfriend Eleanor and his sister Lottie.

Melissa Whitelaw

Dated: NIALL HORAN

Followers: 168,000

Potential earnings per post: £850

Splash News

The couple dated briefly in 2015 while 1D was touring[/caption]

Melissa was briefly linked to Niall in 2015, while the band were touring Down Under.

News of their romance led to her on/off boyfriend Joshua Roberts releasing a statement about his “disappointment”.

Fast-forward five years and Melissa, 27, and personal trainer Joshua are married.

She still follows Louis’ girlfriend Eleanor and Liam’s ex Sophia on Instagram, proving there is still a close link between the 1D girls.

Getty Images

Melissa, 27, and is now married to personal trainer Joshua[/caption]

Eleanor Calder

Dated: LOUIS TOMLINSON

Followers: 3million

Potential earnings per post: £15,100

Gotcha Images Ltd

The couple first met in 2011 and split after four years, but found each other’s hearts in 2017[/caption]

Eleanor was an aspiring model when she was introduced to Louis in 2011.

They split four years later, when Louis went on to date Briana and American actress Danielle Campbell.

In the meantime, beauty Eleanor, 27, forged a career as an influencer.

Since their reconciliation in 2017, Eleanor’s fame has sky-rocketed and she now boasts 3million followers.

Emma Ostilly

Dated: HARRY STYLES

Followers: 33,600

Potential earnings per post: £170

Rex Features

The couple dated in 2012, after Emma featured in a 1D music video[/caption]

 

Harry is claimed to have dated American Emma in 2012, after the model featured in 1D’s music video for Gotta Be You.

After being pictured kissing him, Emma was hounded by fans and Harry claimed the pair were “just friends”. The publicity certainly didn’t hurt her modelling career or social media following, though.

Emma, 26, married American marine Sean Gallagher in Connecticut last summer.

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