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| One Direction confirm Zayn Malik has left the group | One Direction confirm Zayn Malik has left the group |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| One Direction have confirmed Zayn Malik has left the band, saying that he wants “to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time”. Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson will continue as a four-piece for their forthcoming world tour and fifth album. | One Direction have confirmed Zayn Malik has left the band, saying that he wants “to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time”. Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson will continue as a four-piece for their forthcoming world tour and fifth album. |
| Related: Zayn Malik 'signed off' One Direction world tour to recover from stress | Related: Zayn Malik 'signed off' One Direction world tour to recover from stress |
| His full statement reads: “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.” | His full statement reads: “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.” |
| Fans first feared for the 22-year-old’s departure from the pop group last week, after a spokesperson from the band announced Malik was officially signed off the current tour in Asia owing to the singer’s “stress”. It followed a week in which he publicly apologised to his fiancée - Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards - after he was pictured holding hands with another woman while in Thailand. | Fans first feared for the 22-year-old’s departure from the pop group last week, after a spokesperson from the band announced Malik was officially signed off the current tour in Asia owing to the singer’s “stress”. It followed a week in which he publicly apologised to his fiancée - Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards - after he was pictured holding hands with another woman while in Thailand. |
| Related: Brace yourselves, pop fans: it’s curtains for One Direction’s Zayn | Related: Brace yourselves, pop fans: it’s curtains for One Direction’s Zayn |
| The rest of the band say that they “totally respect his decision” to leave, and “send him all our love for the future”. | The rest of the band say that they “totally respect his decision” to leave, 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 - One Direction | 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 - One Direction |
| Syco boss Simon Cowell, who was responsible for the group’s formation on X Factor in 2010, thanked Malik “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.” | “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.” |
| One Direction are scheduled to perform in Jakarta on 25 March, before they embark on the rest of their world tour throughout 2015, culminating in a series of shows at London’s O2 Arena. | One Direction are scheduled to perform in Jakarta on 25 March, before they embark on the rest of their world tour throughout 2015, culminating in a series of shows at London’s O2 Arena. |