Singer Zayn Malik has revealed why he left pop group One Direction in 2015, in his first interview in six years.
Malik said at the time that the reason he left the group was because of stress and that he wanted to be a "normal 22 year-old".
However, speaking to Alex Cooper on her podcast Call Her Daddy, Malik said that the real reason for the band's split was that they had gotten "sick of each other, if I'm being completely honest."
His bandmates had refused to sign new contracts so he decided to "jump the gun".
"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."
He added: "There was obviously underlying issues within our friendships, too. We'd got sick of each other, if I'm being completely honest."
"We had been together nearly every day for five years. We were close and got to do crazy things together which no-one else in the world will ever understand.
"I look back now in a much fonder light than when I first left. It just ran its course. I wasn't afraid of what the world thought. First thing I wanted to do [after leaving] was ring my mum and be like, 'Can I come home?'
"As soon as she said yeah, I was like, 'Ok I'm done.' I hadn't told my mum beforehand. I hadn't really thought about it."
The star, 30, also reflected on his time in the group, saying it took a toll and felt overbearing at times: "It was strange when we were on the live shows... it was a bit crazy.
"I don't think I comprehended it at all. It was just fun, but repetitive fun takes a certain toll and it feels overbearing.
"I was 17. It's taken me so much time to process it now I'm older. I don't black it out, I just don't overthink it.
"We got thrown into the deep end, there was no time for anxiety. I definitely got out at the right time. If I'd done it any longer it might have affected me more."
Malik also spoke of the pressure to fit a certain 'role' within the band: "They used to make out I was the serious one. That wasn't really my personality type - it was just a marketing scheme.
"I get it but I don't think you can define a person as that. We were a bit more complex than that. I think I just had one face to pull and that was it and fans go with it."
He also spoke about co-parenting his two year-old daughter Khai, who he shares with ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid, saying, "'Co-parenting is good, yeah. We have a really good relationship for Khai. She is the main importance. It's going well, I think."
He elaborated, "I have her 50% of the time and that time is so important. She is growing up so fast. When I'm with her I don't work. I spend the full day with her doing things she wants to do like painting, park, the zoo and having fun."
He spoke about his fondness for telling "dad jokes" as well as saying that Khai already demonstrates musical ability: "She shows a lot of musical intelligence already and I love playing instruments with her and singing. I'll sing and she joins in.
"She's only two and a half and she harmonies well and she can hold them [the notes] for a long time. I think she has [singing] ability.
"She can hit these high notes and I'm like, 'whoa'. I didn't even speak until I was three. She'll remember a full song as well."
Podcast host Cooper also probed Malik about reports that he physically and verbally abused Hadid's mother, Yolanda, in September 2021. He reportedly had to complete an anger management class after the incident.
He responded, "'I knew what the situation was and I knew what happened and the people involved know what happened and that's all that matters.
"I didn't want to bring attention and I didn't want to get a negative back and fourth with her [or] any sort of narrative for my daughter to eventually read.
"I believe I dealt with it in the best way and that's all that needs to be said. It was a lot of negativity."
"They're family issues I'd rather keep in the family."
