With his mop of curly brown hair, cheeky smile and boyish charm, Harry Styles has always been considered the heartthrob of One Direction. However, it seems he has been overtaken in the lust-worthy stakes by fellow band member Liam Payne.

The 22-year-old What Makes You Beautiful singer, from Wolverhampton, has been crowned Attitude's Sexiest Man Of The Year - toppling last year's champion, Olympic diver Tom Daley.

While pop hunk Liam was absent from Wednesday night's award ceremony due to sickness, he tweeted his graduate to the gay lifestyle magazine: '@AttitudeMag thank you for all your support it was amazing to shoot with you and thank you for the biggest compliment in my life so far.'

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Liam Payne has been crowned Attitude's Sexiest Man Of The Year - toppling last year's champion, Olympic diver Tom Daley, pictured left on X Factor in 2010 and right surfing in Australia in 2015

The 22-year-old, pictured second from right with his One Direction band mates in 2013, has undergone a dramatic image overhaul since he shot to fame

But in order to become the hottest man on the planet - over the likes of Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper - Liam has had to undergo a dramatic image overhaul.

When he first shot into the public eye back on The X Factor in 2010, teen Liam sported straightened floppy brunette locks, a slender physique and casual plain clothing.

Fast forward five years and he's unrecognisable thanks to a ripped six-pack, splattering of facial stubble and trendy quiffed hairdo.

Liam's super-toned and polished new look has seem him to be compared to icons such as David Beckham and Brad Pitt.

Looking buff takes a lot of hard work and fitness fanatic Liam does a mix of martial arts exercises, boxing and circuit training to stay trim. One Direction's personal trainer Mark Jarvis previously compared his muscular body to that of a Hollywood movie star.

'Harry hasn’t got a Brad Pitt body yet, but Liam has,' Ramzy Khachnik, the manager of 1D's instructor told Yahoo OMG.

Liam has experimented with a number of hairstyles over the years including a shaved head in 2012, pictured left, and a quiffed 'do in 2015, right

One Direction's personal trainer previously compared Liam's muscular body to that of a Hollywood movie star, pictured in Los Angeles in 2013

'Liam’s got the best body, a washboard stomach now. He’s the one responding the best and enjoys it the most.'

Teetotal star Liam, who has suffered with kidney problems from childhood, told Metro that bulking up and honing his muscular physique is a passion.

‘It’s always something I’ve wanted to do keeping fit,' he said. 'With the lifestyle that we have being on the road so much you have to keep fit. It’s survival of the fittest at the end of the day.’

However, in the past, those close to the BRIT Award winner have voiced their concern at how gruelling his regime is.

Liam's driving instructor Noel Gaughan told Perez Hilton that while working out 'relaxes him' he can 'get carried away'.

'When I was with him recently, he went all day on just coffee and KitKats – five days in a row,' said Mr Gaughan. 'He said he didn’t want to feel full when he wasn’t exercising.

'That’s all he allowed himself. Liam’s got his own gym which he showed me around. It’s amazing. He even showed me his six pack – and when he hugged me I could really feel his muscles.'

As well as being a gym bunny, Liam is conscious of what he eats and follows a healthy diet.

According to the Daily Star while on tour with the band he eases off junk food and fizzy drinks in favour of high-protein meals such as steak and vegetables. He also drinks protein shakes.

As well as being a gym bunny, Liam is conscious of what he eats and follows a healthy diet, pictured left on X Factor in 2010 and right in 2015

Unfortunately for One Direction devotees, Liam is off-the-market and is planning on settling down with his girlfriend of two years, Sophia Smith

Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles step out as a One Direction four-piece at Capital FM Summertime Ball in June

In order to shake off his butter-wouldn't-melt good-guy image, Liam vamped up his look by getting a number of tattoos.

Famous inkings include a tattoo of an eagle on his right hand, a chevron print up his arm and a screw design on his ankle.

Explaining why he and his band mates decided to have metal pins inked on to their skin, he previously told Daily Mirror: 'This was actually the first tattoo I ever got, all of us but Niall have got these on our ankles.

'It’s just crosses, I don’t know what it means. They’re screws, they keep you together. It’s like a keep you grounded thing.'

After experimenting with a Harry Styles-esqure curly mop and Justin Bieber-inspired shaved head, Liam has now settled on a trendy slicked-up quiff hairstyle.

He has also been able to look more mature thanks to a splattering of facial stubble - which he admits made him more attractive to female fans.

‘I think with the new found facial hair I am hoping for the older ladies,’ he told Metro, clarifying: ‘Not old – older ladies!’

After experimenting with a Harry Styles-esqure curly mop and Justin Bieber-inspired shaved head, Liam has now settled on a trendy slicked-up quiff hairstyle, pictured in 2011

Liam said he has talked about marriage with girlfriend Sophia but they think they're a bit too young to get hitched yet, pictured together in 2013

Baggy hoodies and cross-body bags, pictured left in 2010, have been swapped for slick grooming and polished tailoring, right in 2013

However, unfortunately for One Direction devotees, Liam is off-the-market and is planning on settling down with his girlfriend of two years, Sophia Smith.

He told Attitude: 'We have talked about marriage, but 22 seems a bit young for us. Sophia needs to go off and do what she wants to do. I don’t want her to be one of those stay-at-home girlfriends who doesn’t really do much.’

Liam's appearance in the iconic magazine marked the first ever gay press shoot that the One Direction heartthrobs have ever taken part in.

‘It’s the first solo shoot and interview any of the members of One Direction have done, their first gay press shoot and I think the only magazine promo for their new album,’ a spokesperson for the magazine said.

‘The news that the band are taking a hiatus or splitting up, whichever version you believe, means that this story should be global news and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t become our biggest-selling issue ever.’

See more One Direction news on Liam Payne and the boys at www.dailymail.co.uk/1D

Liam Payne and his One Direction band mate Louis Tomlinson attend the Believe In Magic Cinderella Ball in August in London