Nicole was 35 ... Harry was 19

HARRY Styles had a secret fling with Nicole Scherzinger — 16 years his senior.

The One Direction heart-throb was 19 when he hooked up with the Pussycat Dolls beauty, then 35.

The toy boy, who is now 21, was just 16 when the Pussycat Dolls beauty helped put his band together while judging on The X Factor in 2010.

But their brief romantic liaison took place over three years later when Nicole, now 37, was on a break from Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton in late 2013.

Break ... Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton Press Association

Last night a source close to the stars revealed: “They had a dalliance at the end of the X Factor in 2013 and met up again early last year.

“Harry was obviously very taken by Nicole who is stunning and he had always looked up to her.

“She was a guest judge on X Factor at the time One Direction were formed and has always claimed credit for putting the band together, even though Simon Cowell says it was his idea.

“But they hooked up over three years later when Harry had matured and was a member of the world’s biggest band.

“Harry was 19 at the time but had an old head on his shoulders because he’d already been in a relationship with Caroline Flack who was 14 years older than him.”

The pair openly flirted with each other after meeting when 1D performed their single Midnight Memories at the X Factor final in 2013 and in February next year at a Brit Awards after party hosted by Sony.

A night on the town ... pair pose with a giant ice bucket

A Brits insider said: “They were openly all over each other at Sony’s post-Brits event. They were sitting next to each other, having lots to drink and wildly flirting.

“It was very clear there was an electric chemistry between them and something had gone on.

“Harry had been linked to Kendall Jenner but that was always pretty casual.”

However, friends of Nicole say there was never any intention of a serious relationship.

One pal explained: “Yes they did snog and got on well, but they never dated.”

Harry’s cougar-loving reputation was sparked by his romance with radio DJ Lucy Horobin in 2011,
 causing the break-up of her marriage before she reconciled with her husband.

Harry was 17 at the time, 15 years younger than the Manchester-based Key 103 presenter.

Months later the 1D star targeted another older woman Caroline Flack, again 15 his senior, after snaring her at an X Factor wrap party.

The relationship didn’t last long and after a brief hook up with US model Emma Ostilly, who is the same age, Harry set his sights on Inbetweeners star Emily Atack in May 2012, this time just the four years separated them.

Made In Chelsea star Caggie Dunlop, four years his senior, was next on Harry’s hit-list two months later after the pair enjoyed a few dates before his most public relationship with US singer Taylor Swift in
December 2012. The age gap between the superstars is four years.

Nicole reconciled with Lewis but the pair split in February. The Sun on Sunday revealed in August that Nicole had a brief fling with Harry’s pal Ed Sheeran.