Did Simon Cowell know Zayn was quitting One Direction?
He said the singer was unhappy
Simon Cowell says he knew Zayn Malik was going to leave One Direction before it happened.
Speaking to a magazine** he said **the 22-year-old wasn’t happy or in a ‘great place’ before Zayn made the decision to leave.
He added that the singer had started to distance himself too.
But The X Factor judge revealed that his concern was for the rest of the band as it happened without warning.
Simon, the band’s mentor after they finished third on the talent show, said he wanted to protect Liam, Niall, Harry and Louis as it’d be tough for them.
Zayn left in March after five years with the band saying he wanted to be a normal 22-year-old and have time out of the spotlight.
Simon recently joked "who misses Zayn?" when One Direction presented him with an award at the Music Industry Trust Awards but later apologised.
One Direction's album 'Made in the A.M' is out now.