Zayn Malik reveals reason he left One Direction in rare interview

Zayn Malik gave his first sit-down interview in six years to the Call Her Daddy podcast, and shared the real reason he was first to leave One Direction. While he doesn’t get into specifics, Zayn revealed that constantly being with his bandmates was draining. “There were obviously underlying issues. Like within our friendships, too,” he said. “We’ve been together every day for five years, and we got sick of each other, if I’m being completely honest. So we were close.”

When it was clear that things in the group were turning sour, he wanted to be the first out the door. “I was like, ‘I’m just going to get out of here, I think this is done and I just seen it,’” he said. “And 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 for the first time.’” Zayn will release his new single, “Love Like This,” next Friday.