By now you know Zayn Malik — “the hot one”, the “God of high notes” ––  made One Direction go “two directions” on Wednesday. This means the Fab Five (yes, that’s what many call this band) of this generation is now down to just four (’cause it’s almost impossible to have another Beatles or Fab Four). So, what happened and where to from here?

 

ZAYN TO T2 ON MARCH 19, 2015
“We so do miss the early days, but we have learnt to move with the times, and live the moment, we are going crazier and it’s fabulous. We love one another and we share a bond and there are no differences.”

BUT THEN.... 
The 22-year-old announced his leaving through the band’s official Facebook page on Wednesday: “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.”
A few days ago, the singer abruptly took a break from the band’s world tour, leaving the four –– Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne –– to fend for themselves on stage in Manila and Jakarta. The group’s representative quickly put out a statement saying Zayn was “signed off with stress”, soon after he was spotted with his arm around the waist of tattoo-loving 19-year-old Lauren Richardson near Seduction, a nightclub in Phuket, Thailand.
The 1D member took to 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.”

WHO IS LAUREN RICHARDSON?
She is a 19-year-old from Essex. Her dad David has told MailOnline: “I got that good news (Zayn leaving the band) when I got home from work. It’s the worst scenario. I’ve got nothing to say on the matter whatsoever and, as you can imagine, all we want is to be left in peace.”

PERRIE EDWARDS, THE NEW YOKO ONO?
The (now former) 1D man flew back from Thailand to his London home which he shares with his fiancee and Little Mix singer. After a five-hour chat, Perrie was seen leaving in a taxi with a bulky bag but still wearing her engagement ring. The two have dated since meeting (in December 2011) on the sets of X Factor where her band was a finalist on series eight. Their relationship was rocked in February 2013 after claims that he had cheated on her with waiter-stripper Courtney Webb. All rumours were quashed and Zayn got Perrie tattooed on his arm.
But now the Little Mix singer is been painted by some as the new Yoko Ono. For the uninitiated, Yoko (John Lennon’s wife) was infamously blamed for the break-up of the Beatles in the 1960s. Some Directioners have tweeted messages like: “Perrie’s the modern day Yoko Ono... I can’t believe this” (@blackheaux), “What just happened?! Did Perrie made him choose her over his career? Unfair man. She should also quit if that’s the case. Just an opinion” (@Aianpat) and “You broke all of our hearts to fix yours” (@aisha_alduaij).

LIAM PREDICTS?
Days after Zayn announced his departure from the tour, Liam posted a picture of himself with Harry, Louis and Niall holding a poster of the band but with his hand covering Zayn’s face.  His tweet “#makinglightofasituation sorry for the laughs guys” made the Directioners see red.

WHAT NEXT FOR ZAYN?
A solo career perhaps. The Manchester United and Pakistani cricket team supporter has been working on new music with UK artiste Naughty Boy, the producer-songwriter, who had a hit (La La La) with Sam Smith. According to The Independent, the pair have written several songs together, including One Chance to Dance, which 1D had planned to record. Meanwhile, the group’s current world tour continues through October minus Zayn.

CAN THE GROUP CONTINUE?
If history is any indicator, there is a chance. Geri Halliwell was the first to leave Spice Girls. Then there was A.J. McLean of Backstreet Boys who took time off for rehab, and Kevin Richardson also took time off from the band. And let’s not forget Jonathan Knight (who returned after a short break) of New Kids on the Block and Robbie Williams of Take That.

STORY OF ZAYN’S CAREER

2010: He auditioned for the seventh series of X Factor and was eliminated before the final round. The judges made him team up with the other 1D members. In December 2010 the band was signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco Records.

September 2011: One Direction releases the first single What Makes You Beautiful, followed by their debut album, 
Up All Night.

December 2011: He starts dating Perrie Edwards of Little Mix.

November 2012: Take Me Home, the second 1D album, drops.

August 2013: Zayn pops the question and Perrie appears in public wearing an engagement ring.

February 2013: Rumours surface of Zayn cheating on Perrie with stripper Courtney Webb.

November 2013: 1D’s third album, Midnight Memories, releases.

May 2014: A video emerges of Zayn and Louis sharing a joint.

November 2014: FOUR, the fourth 1D album, drops.

March 25, 2015: He quits One Direction, days after being clicked with his hand around a certain Lauren Richardson in Thailand and then being “signed off with stress” from the ongoing 1D tour.

 

 

Zayn leaving 1D means.... 
Tell t2@abp.in