Harry Styles insists the gender of his partners doesn't matter to him.

The One Direction heartthrob was being interviewed along with bandmate Liam Payne when he made the revelation, insisting personality is the most important aspect.

When asked what traits the pair look for in a girlfriend, Liam told On Demand Entertainment: ''Female. That's an important trait.''

However, the 20-year-old superstar laughed and retorted: ''[It's] not that important!''

Instead, the 'Steal My Girl' crooner explained that he thought a ''sense of humour'' and ''being nice to him'' were qualities which he deemed to be special.

Harry - who has most recently been romantically linked to 32-year-old comedy writer Erin Foster - has been a supporter of gay rights for several years, but has long been considered a ladies man due to his numerous flings with high-profile females including Taylor Swift and supermodel Cara Delevingne.

Rumours about the singer's sexuality have circulated since the band first rose to prominence in 2010, although he has previously denied that he is bisexual.

In an interview in 2013, Harry said: ''Bisexual? Me? I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I'm not,''