Cheeky One Direction singer Simon Cowell by joking about the band's pay packets.

According to The Sun, Niall said: "Simon Cowell is tight. That's why he's so successful - he's able to keep his money to himself. We're paid in jelly beans."

Niall's quip comes just a week after it was revealed that [uuid=a2252e5f-b8b8-4958-a3b5-8af5694c0dc7]SiCo had paid 1D a rumoured £10m bonus[/uuid] as a reward for their phenomenal success both here and in the US, where the lads scored a [uuid=6104f940-3798-4978-a3ee-2961f3749e37]No 1 album with their debut LP.[/uuid]

Joking aside, One Direction are taking their music seriously and, when they're not [uuid=d46e779f-da94-4776-99c8-09f36c175cdf]being mobbed by fans[/uuid], have been busy honing their songwriting skills.

Harry explained: "We're always writing on the road and in hotels and airports.

"We don't ever want our music to sound like a 40-year-old man in an office has written it and given it to us to perform."

[uuid=1a03b39d-f9c5-4cbd-8fe4-dcd493489049]CHECK OUT PICS OF ONE DIRECTION IN MTV'S GALLERY HERE![/uuid]