Boy band drama! Fair warning — I’m well over the age of 25, talking about One Direction, and clearly out of my element. Looking at the above photo, I can readily pick out Harry Styles on the left (the one with pretty hair). The dude on the right is Niall Horan (the one with a reputation for stealing people’s girlfriends). This story is about the guy in the middle, Zayn Malik, who just left the band’s world tour to return home. The official word from 1D’s PR rep is that “Zayn has been signed off with stress and is flying back to the UK to recuperate.” He may return to the tour after a few shows, or he may have quit the band.
Zayn’s departure might be an after effect of a cheating scandal. Zayn, 22, is currently engaged to Perrie Edwards of the girl band Little Mix. For Perrie’s 21st birthday last year, Zayn pulled the Bieber-esque move of renting out an entire funfair as a romantic gesture. But of course … he’s a boy band member, so there are complications and groupie rumors. Zayn snapped back on Twitter “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.”
The Mail has photos of Zayn returning home (where he shares a house with Perrie). Shortly after, Perrie was spotted leaving the premises with a packed bag. People published some statements from the 1D guys, who are worried about Zayn:
After taking a break from One Direction’s On the Road Again world tour due to stress, Zayn Malik is back in the United Kingdom to spend time with his family.
Set to perform in the Philippines this weekend without him, “the rest of the guys are really worried about him but disappointed he’s not there,” a source close to the band tells PEOPLE. “Their main concern is they want him to get better.”
Adds our source: “They don’t want him to quit. Louis [Tomlinson] is the closest to him and is the most worried.”
Though Malik, 22, is the one who “struggles dealing with being in the spotlight the most,” as a source previously revealed to PEOPLE, he reached his limit on Wednesday, when photos of him looking close to a female fan hit the Internet.
[From People]
Is this a simple case of stress brought on by Zayn’s personal life … or something else? I understand there are also drug rumors. During the band’s recent Phillipines tour stop, Zayn and Louis Tomlinson were required to post bonds promising they wouldn’t use or promote illegal drugs. The two joked about their hand-rolled ciggies (ahem) in the 1D documentary, so who knows. Hopefully, Zayn will get the help he needs to deal with this upheaval.
Photos courtesy of WENN
Screw the cheating scandal, I want to talk about his fabulous head band.
lol
The headband was the first thing I noticed. Childhood memories!
ME TOO I LOVE this haircut he has… Hair Idol tbh
also can I just say how MUCH I love that a young man of Middle eastern background, Muslim is roundly safely considered a Hunk Full stop??
Also Im here for Harry too and Him The other 3 I couldn’t pick out of a Lineup to save my life
Also Im Embarrassed Now
QQ you just totally outed yourself!
“also can I just say how MUCH I love that a young man of Middle eastern background, Muslim is roundly safely considered a Hunk Full stop??”
Amen, sister! I’m not attracted to Malik (too young, too pretty for my tastes) but I can TOTALLY see what you mean.
Zayn is my daughter’s favorite! She’s crushed to see him leave the tour & promises it’s only temporary. Poor kid.
I agree, QQ. And particularly because his father is British Pakistani and his mother is white British. Cos of course, “those people” could never assimilate, right?! They all live in British cities that are no go areas to everyone else and operate as fifth column, right?!
@ Sixer:
Speaking of British Pakistani…I also have a crush on Riz Ahmed.
ETA — went to google for pictures and found this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/10914167/British-actor-Riz-Ahmed-racially-abused-by-fellow-England-fans-in-Brazil.html
P.S.: Please, Bedhead (or Kaiser, or CB), let this comment/link stay.
Damn, Eve, you have excellent taste in the male species. That story, however, is no bueno.
I love Riz Ahmed (in a platonic way, though). He was great in Four Lions. How depressing is that article? We haven’t had this level of rotten since the miserable 1980s when Thatcher was in charge. A recession and a few wars – guaranteed to bring the wankpots of all varieties out into the open. If there’s a chance of shunting someone else to the bottom of a perceived heap, there’s always a few who’ll take it.
@ Mimif:
I know.
@ Sixer:
Very depressing.
@ Mimif:
I forgot to add: Ahmed is short. So, again, just like Oscar Isaac, all mine.
Sixer, I LOVE Four Lions.
Middle Eastern guys have always been my type- ever since Aladdin. He was my first crush. I’m dead serious.
OMG that thing was all the rage 10 years ago and now it’s like the cheapest headband around, it’s maybe 20 eurocents in my city.
Talk about a blast from the past :))
Yes. They are all so pretty. I don’t think I would want to date a guy who spent more time in hair and makeup than I did.
It’s a soccer player headband!
I refuse to sanction this buffoonery! It’s a fashion statement. The End.
P.S. Kiddo said you were naff.
Come over here and suffer through a few Premier League matches on Sky Sports. You’ll see headbands galore.
What the what? Moi? I make an entire internet career out of ANTI FASHION and you Yanks call it NAFF?
Pfft.
Here you are, here’s an ex-Chelsea player sporting one. I chose ex-Chelsea just to annoy the Evelet.
@ Sixer:
I’ve been watching the new Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer on a loop. Nothing can annoy me today (well, except for the fact I CAN’T F*CKING SEE THE WHOLE MOVIE RIGHT NOW!).
I’ve gone science geek this week. Stargazing Live all the way.
This guy look like a addict .. no judgement here .. i have addiction problem in the past ! There are long time blog talk about is possible addiction. I hope he will find the help he need.
If you look at when they first came out to now, you can see a big difference in Zayn. He’s gotten so skinny. I think perhaps he is not handling fame well. He seems super stressed and to be honest he seems like he’s sort of over it.
Agreed….and it isn’t pot…thinking h…sad.
Yep, the weight loss, the dead eyes, it’s heroin. Sadly have seen the exact same look on friends in my younger days. Also I’m embarrassed to know all their names and to know what this kid looked like before he got on the horse. Blame my 14 year old sister who’s been living with me for the last six months. It could be worse, at least she thinks Beiber is a tool.
No boy band survives for longer than five years. This is the beginning of the end. They push these kids to the brink, milk them dry, then leave them to pasture. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Backstreet Boys are still going on, no? Although there were many breaks in between I think.
VERY long breaks in between.
The Backstreet Boys are like a cruise ship act now, no? I mean, sure, but that’s not really what I meant.
A job is a job. But I get what you mean. Boy bands grow older, fans grow older, the whole thing loses its appeal. There is a small window for fame and success, and then it dies, and is replaced by another act.
I agree – this is probably the beginning of the end for 1D.
Yep. And every boyband has that one guy who is especially vulnerable to drug addiction. I really thought it would be Harry, he is actually very moody and the one hanging out in the London celebrity druggie circles. Looks like its Zayn. Shame because besides being the best looking Zayn is also the most vocally talented. I really hoped he would be the break out star.
I saw 5ive perform twice in 2013 and they were AMAZING! All grown up and super sexy.
More like a drug and groupie scandal – these boys were going to burn out at some point.
I am going to be cynical and say drug problems but band management will use the “hysterical jealous girlfriend demands him home to explain himself” excuse for cover.
My little sister is a huge fan of theirs so I know things I don’t even want to know.
Zayn is apparently very shy and nervous. He applied 3 times for x factor and showed up only once. He doesn’t spend his off time with the other guys and he was apparently severely bullied in school for being a Muslim. Fame could be a hard thing for him to cope with.
But it could also be cheating or drugs.
I love how Bedhead wrote, “Hopefully, Zayn will get the help he needs to deal with this upheaval.”, and then she plants this photo directly after http://www.celebitchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/wenn22263335.jpg. Her words are basically touching his hair, which def is having an upheaval.
I know! Sweatpants jokes and baby James aside, this is the real news people. Was Moses involved? Because this is nothing short of a miracle.
Those big center part swirls are such an incredible feat, I imagine even Conan being tres jealous.
Totally. And The Curl is like a limp salchicha (word of the day) in comparison.
Look what I found for you!
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/06/1415244926855_Image_galleryImage_Picture_Shows_Charlie_Hun.JPG
😂How on earth do you get any work done? And I don’t even like the dude, I just like dat ass.
My day just keeps getting extended, you should see my fashionable dark circles.
You mean like this?
http://www.celebitchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/FFN_PFW_Chanel_CHP_031015_516756151.jpg
Haha, no, mine are BELOW the eyes, but maybe just as dark if I get pasty.
Can we please talk about the fact that in the top photo of the whole group the young lad standing next to Harry has his belt on OVER his coat?
It that a thing now? I’m also over the age of 25 and totally out of my depth.
@sarah = that would be Liam. Or as I like to call him “The Weak Link.”
I can call him that since my daughter isn’t around….she gets touchy when I poke fun at any of (what she refers to as) my “future sons-in-law.”
@Sarah, I’m kind of mad at you now for making me look.
Why? Sarah should be hired IMMEDIATELY for fashion CSI work. Hand her some tape!
Mimif, I can only apologise to you! I just… I’ve never seen someone do that before and I didn’t know what to do!
Kiddo, thanks! I would love to work for CSI: Fashion – as long as it’s on the condition that I can judge others solely on their clothes whilst wearing what I want without question.
You must wear latex gloves, no contamination at the scene.
Sarah, word of caution: Kiddo has a thing for (yellow) stains. And fringe. Also, shorts de la beige bootay, florals, chunky resin necklaces, denim suits with brown shoes, bongos…sigh. It’s exhausting keeping up with Her.
I was wearing a plastic headband like this when I was 10.
Zayn is my daughter’s favourite (she is 11). I want him to be okay!
Drugs more likely. With that kind of fame, I won’t blame him. I’m not a fan of boy groups but I have a soft spot for 1D. They’re not involve in misdemeanors and they seemed grounded.
Biblical partings of the hair aside, that boy is outrageously beuatiful. Once again, I would hate to be famous. And so young. I hope he is ok, and if he needs a break, take it. Get healthy.
Biblical partings of the hair aside..lolz
I always thought he was a douche, based on stories I’ve heard about his attitude. There are clear pictures of him holding hands with a girl who’s not his fiancée. He cheated and got caught while doing so. End of.
Yes, I agree that this is about cheating and he has done it before too. The woman, who he cheated with the last time, took some photos of him as a proof.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2272324/Zayn-Malik-cheated-Perrie-Edwards-500-hour-private-dancer.html
That time he bought Perrie’s mom a house and got engaged to her. I wonder how he tries to “make amends” this time?
I think this whole “Zayn has so much stress” is just the band’s PR doing it’s job and it seems to be working. He was fooling around again, was caught cheating and did the very unprofessional thing and left the world tour, his bandmates and his fans who had paid to see him live. And now their PR team is trying to make his fans feel sorry for him.
Exactly. I don’t understand why everyone’s defending him so much.
He probably ran home to salvage his relationship when he was caught with a woman who was not his fiancee. This is apparently not the first (second or even third) time he’s cheated and been caught and had to grovel for forgiveness.
Precisely why you don’t get engaged when you’re 22 and in a band.
No management is not going to let him leave in the middle of touring to salvage his relationship. This to much money involved for something like that, it has to be something much more serious.
Good point, Kelly. If it had only been about the girlfriend, they would have flown her out first-class for some photo ops! She’s in the business and knows how the game is played.
I thought word was that the insurance company was requiring drug tests for the Asian leg of the tour.
There was also talk of an anti-drugs group in the Phillippines insisting that Zayn and Louis get drug tested before they could enter the country. Not sure where that leaves Louis.
I shouldn’t know this (as I am clearly beyond 25 as well) but it’s been all over the internet that except for two of the boys (Harry and … Niall I think) none of them looked particularly thrilled to be on stage on this tour. They finished a world tour in October, promoted the new album and went on another world tour. They’ve had 4 albums in 4 years, WHO can sustain that kind of pace? One of them was going to burn out, I was extremely surprised that their management or whoever is responsible for these things thought they’d last another world tour so soon.
Interesting. i don’t doubt that if that’s coming from the ever observant fans that it’s right and some of them are miffed at their management.
I just think it’s madness that they would dare complain about schedule. Rihanna did 7 albums in 7 years. Beyonce was constantly on the road at that stage of her career and she is a single act that both she sings and dances. These boys have it easy. They are guys, they don’t do hours of hair and make up ebfore the show. They don’t do major costume changes during the show. Their act consists of walking around the stage sipping water and making sexual innuendo at each other. They share the heavy lifting singing between 4 of them ( Louis gets a line here and there). How dare they whine? Somebody needs to smack some sense into them.
Where did you read/hear that they complained? And I take it you’ve been on a few world tours then. Rhianna isn’t touring constantly btw.
@pinky: They tour a lot more than Rihanna or Beyonce while also consistently putting out new music, that is really an unusually grueling schedule.
I agree with Pinky – and LOL about Louis never getting to sing! I think he’s accepted the fact he has no voice and is focusing on the business side of things for his future. Still a good-looking guy, though. I assume he was hired for his cheekbones. Maybe he’ll be the Posh Spice of One Direction and the only one people remember in 15 years.
This makes me sad… for some reason I do love this band. I am going to listen to Night Changes right now. (I almost said Night Moves….because I am also well over the age of 25…..LOL)
Oh, but he’s lovely. Just a beautiful, beautiful boy (man).
Hope he’s ok. He’s looking a little ragged around the edges.
They are abt to tour my country. I have friends who bought their kids tickets months ago and plane tickets as the concert is being held in another city. Makes you realise how much pressure there must be for these concerts to go ahead at all cost. But this kid does not seem to be coping at all.
I know people who went to the Singapore and Bangkok shows last week, and they both said he seemed pretty over it. Sounds like he needs a break. I like him though. I hope he gets some rest. I’m not really into 1D, but I’m a huge KPop fan, so I know how hard these people work. They need a break.
Shades of Ginger Spice who also left the Spice Girls tour suddenly and they claimed she was sick.
Good point – and just proof that you never know who it is from a group who will thrive after the breakup. I don’t think in 1997 anyone ever thought it would be Victoria Beckham – another pop group member who couldn’t sing very well! The other girls do OK, but none can touch Posh. I really like her dresses.
Ginger Spice would probably closely correspond to Harry Styles in a One Direction context. He’s a charmer, although I get the sense he’s already starting to lose his hair. It will be interesting to see where he goes in the future. Maybe acting, kind of a Michael Caine/Oliver Reed British rapscallion type. I always thought Harry would be the one to leave first – and maybe so did he.
Harry styles is going to be bald by age 30.
He shoudnt let one caveman spoil it for him – he shoud b able to sing wotever he wants – and im scottish – he shoud b able to sing ingerland if thats wot he wants.
Cant wait to read their book when they are washed up and hooked on heroin. what a bunch of losers. If i was in a boy band in my early 20’s the last thing i want want to be is engaged? cut her lose and go get your groupies! your 15 minutes is almost up
I took my 11 year old daughters to the Hong Kong concert, and Zayn was clearly not well. My friend in Singapore told me prior to the concert to “Keep your eye on him, tell me if you think something is up”. He disappeared behind the stage as songs were ending and would re-emerge as vocals were beginning on the next song. He appeared disoriented and just a couple of beats behind. Zayn and Louis did not interact with the audience as all. Definitely think it is a good thing Zayn has gone to relax and hopefully get the help he needs.
Very interesting, dimsummum. Wonder if something is up with Louis as well – he also has a reputation as a partier.
Some of the British tabloids have been reporting that Zayn had been having conflicts with Harry for a long time, Harry being a careerist who wants to get into movie acting and do it from the platform of a successful band, and Zayn being unwilling or unable to hold up his role in said successful band. If Harry gets blamed for Zayn’s departure, that won’t be good for his image.
This is one of the dangers of quick ‘X-factor’ type fame. Most superstars, the Beyoncés and Jay-Zs and Taylor Swifts and Katy Perrys of the world, even old-schoolers like Frank Sinatra and Elvis, had long build-up periods before they became known. Lots of time on the road, lots of failures alongside the successes – it tends to weed out the people who don’t really have the steel to make it in the long run.
I assume that kind of process would have eliminated a quiet soul like Zayn Malik long before he became so famous.
So funny a 22 year old pop stars want to get married… Really