One Direction announce Zayn Malik’s departure from boy band
SAD news for teens everywhere as Zayn Malik announced his departure from Boy band One Direction. See the full statement.
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ZAYN Malik has announced his departure from boy band One Direction.
In a statement released at 3:30am AEDT, Malik said the reason for the departure from the iconic group is “because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight”.
He apologised to fans “if I’ve let anyone down” but said “after five years I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band”.
“My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined,” he wrote in a joint statement with the band.
RELATED: READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW
RELATED: ZAYN MALIK LEAVES ONE DIRECTION WORLD TOUR
The band, comprising Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson, will continue as a four-piece and continue their On the Road Again world tour, minus Malik.
The band’s first performance as a foursome will take place in South Africa on March 28.
They plan to record a fifth album later in the year.
“The four of us will now continue. We’re looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour.”
It comes a week after the singer quit the band’s world tour due to “stress”.
“Zayn has been signed off with stress and is flying back to the U.K. to recuperate,” a publicist said.
He returned to the UK to defend his relationship with fiancee, girl band Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards.
Malik had been seen earlier holding another woman around the waist.
“I’m 22 years old... I love a girl named Perrie Edwards. And there’s a lot of jealous f***s in this world I’m sorry for what it looks like x”, he tweeted last week.
The group were discovered in 2010 by The X Factor genius Simon Cowell, famous for his management of former British girl band The Spice Girls.
The group were formed for the same show in the same year after placing third in the series.
Here’s the full statement:
After five incredible years Zayn Malik has decided to leave One
Direction. Niall, Harry, Liam and Louis will continue as a four-piece and look forward to the forthcoming concerts of their world tour and
recording their fifth album, due to be released later this year.
Zayn says: “My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
One Direction say: “We’re really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future. The past five years have been beyond amazing, we’ve gone through so much together, so we will always be friends. The four of us will now continue. We’re looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour.”
Simon Cowell says: “I would like to say thank you to Zayn for everything he has done for One Direction. Since I first met Zayn in 2010, I have grown very, very fond — and immensely proud — of him. I have seen him grow in confidence and I am truly sorry to see him leave. As for One Direction, fans can rest assured that Niall, Liam, Harry and Louis are hugely excited about the future of the band.”
Maybe we saw this coming from the beginning?
Originally published as One Direction announce Zayn Malik’s departure from boy band
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