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The entertainment world was rocked this week following the news that Zayn Malik had left the One Direction tour of Asia.
Personal reasons have been cited as the reason for Malik heading home. Pictures have emerged of the singer holding hands with American girl Lauren Richardson whilst in Thailand, leading many to believe that the 22-year-old had cheated on long-term girlfriend Perrie Edwards of Little Mix fame.
Although both Malik and Richardson have denied allegations of a fling, claiming that the images are simply innocuous, you cannot help but remain sceptical.
While it does not appear that the writing is well and truly on the wall, Edwards was seen spotted leaving the couple’s shared home on Friday with bulky bags but also her engagement ring still on her finger. It does seem to be an uphill battle between the pair.
So, where does this leave Malik?
Well, bookmakers Betfair have him at 1.33 at the time of writing to be the first member to leave the band. Right now, that makes sense.
But will Malik quit? Malik’s future within the band seemingly rests on what Edwards wants. If he is completely committed to her, then you would expect him to follow through with her demands, especially if he is battling to save this relationship.
This is not the first time that Zayn has had accusations of infidelity thrown at him and, while that accusation was soon hushed up, it does beg the question of whether there is any trust left in the relationship.
Considering the amount of female fans who throw themselves at the band, and the conflicting schedules of Little Mix and One Direction, Edwards can be more than forgiven for not trusting him.
She could therefore be unwilling for him to continue with the five piece.
Career or fiancé? That will be the question that Malik is posed with by Edwards. Who can blame her? Of the members of 1D, Malik does not seem to want the most media attention.
He is a private man who, when together, seems to genuinely love Edwards. He does not seem to care too much for the media circus that engulfs all of the members of the band. From this standpoint, you could envisage Malik walking away from the band with ease.
If only it was that straightforward. Let’s face it, Malik is not the strongest of singers. Liam and Harry do most of the leg work in the band.
There is simply no way that he can carve out a solo singing career post-1D, and he knows it. Remaining in the band is the only way he can continue doing the thing he loves, which makes these talks all the more important.
Although you shouldn’t look at the world this way, Malik is a member of a band that has sold more than 50 million records. While breaking up with Edwards would hurt, there will be plenty more fish in the sea and he will be able to continue with his music career.
When faced with the prospect of leaving the hottest band in the world to try and save what appears to be a failed relationship, there can be just one answer. Malik will remain in One Direction as a single man.