How Harry Styles nearly burned down Saturday Night Live

Harry Styles. Photo / Getty Images

Harry Styles "nearly burned the Saturday Night Live Studios down" after setting his shirt on fire backstage in New York's Rockefeller Plaza last Saturday.

The Sun claim the 23-year-old One Direction singer had returned to his dressing room after entertaining the NBC studio audience with a live performance of forthcoming album track Ever Since New York.

Describing the ordeal, a source told the publication: "Harry nearly burned the place down. His manager asked if he could smell burning - he'd thrown his shirt onto a candle and the whole sleeve had set alight.

"He tried to stamp it out but then his sock caught on fire."

The What Makes You Beautiful hitmaker reportedly started the inferno by stripping off and throwing his shirt onto the flame of a candle.

The incident is said to have left the chart-topper stunned as he tried to stamp out the small blaze with his foot, the Daily Mail reports.

Fans watched in horror when Harry almost set himself on alight on stage during a One Direction concert in Chicago four years ago.

Quick-thinking Zayn Malik managed to stop the heartthrob from walking into the flames of a pyrotechnic.

The solo artist released his single Sign Of The Times earlier in April ahead of his album due out on May 12 which is said to contain songs about Taylor Swift and Kendall Jenner.