Pop stars ONE DIRECTION have struggled to sustain relationships with friends back home since their meteoric rise to fame.

Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik formed their boyband on Britain's The X Factor in 2010, and have gone on to top the charts around the world.

However, Styles admits they have all found it difficult to relate to the pals they grew up with since becoming global superstars.

He tells U.K. talk show Loose Women, "I think a lot of people kind of feel like whatever they say isn't as exciting so they just don't know what to say to us. A lot of the time (with) friends that you've had for quite a while, it just becomes awkward."

Tomlinson adds, "You say, 'What have you been up to?' And they say, 'Nothing quite as exciting as what you've been doing!'"