It's been over eight years since Zayn Malik devastated tens of millions of followers and stop One Direction in March 2015.

It's additionally been six years because the Bradford lad gave any interviews in any respect.

And in a brand new revealing chat, he has lots to say about his departure from the largest band on the earth.

Harry, Niall, Liam and Louis staggered on as a four-piece till January 2016, however, as with Geri ditching The Spice Girls, The writing was on the wall when Zayn left.

Now he has lastly given an in-depth clarification for why he did it and, simply as importantly, when.

Malik has been conserving a comparatively low profile because the launch of third album Nobody Is Listening in 2021 however it was not too long ago introduced that he has signed a brand new document cope with Mercury, with new single Love Like This due on July 21

Despite a really public turbulent 2021 cut up with girlfriend Gigi Hadid (and accusations of harrassment of her mom), Malik has been talking of cherishing his time with their daughter.

He mentioned: "When I'm with her, I don't work at all. I just spend a full day with her doing things that she wants to do, like painting, Play-Doh… go to the park, go to the theme park, go to the zoo. I feel like I've rekindled my own childhood through her, you know?"

Malik himself was solely 17 when he entered the X Factor and has spoken beforehand about how the pressures of fame at such a younger age left him battling an consuming dysfunction and nervousness.

However, he revealed particulars about his causes for leaving the band within the new interview with podcast Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper.

He mentioned: "There was obviously underlying issues within our friendships, too. We'd got sick of each other if I'm being completely honest."

Malik confessed that he knew. "we'd just run our course," and crucially determined to make the most of that second.

He added: "I knew something was happening, so I just got ahead of the curve. I was like, 'I'm just going to get out of here, I think this is done'... I completely selfishly wanted to be the first person to go and make my own record. If I'm being completely honest with you, I was like, 'I'm going to jump the gun here'.

"I'm a passive dude, however with regards to my music and my enterprise, I'm critical about it and I'm aggressive, so I needed to be the primary to go and do my very own factor. That was the rationale."