Singer Zayn Malik said on Wednesday he was quitting the best-selling pop band One Direction because he wanted to live a normal life and apologised to fans of the hugely popular British-Irish group for doing so.
The decision by Mr Malik to quit came after he dropped out of an Asian tour due to what he said was stress when pictures of the singer, who is engaged to Perrie Edwards of Little Mix, were published showing him partying with another woman in Thailand.
"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," Mr Malik said in a statement on One Direction's Facebook page.
One Direction's biggest hits include "Best Song Ever", "Kiss You", "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Story of My Life".
"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 band members said.
"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.
The announcement instantly made Mr Malik's name one of the top trends on Twitter and produced anguished reactions from fans.
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