Zayn Malik quits One Direction

Last week, Zayn Malik quit One Direction's current world tour. On Wednesday, the band announced he quit the band.

"After five incredible years Zayn Malik has decided to leave One Direction," the band's Facebook page says. "Niall, Harry, Liam and Louis will continue as a four-piece and look forward to the forthcoming concerts of their world tour and recording their fifth album, due to be released later this year."

Malik added a statement:

"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. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world."

Immediately, the "Oh, no!" tweets began piling up.

The band members' statement said they were "really sad" to see Malik go.

"But we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future," the statement said. "The past five years have been beyond amazing, we've gone through so much together, so we will always be friends."

But the band will go on with the remaining four members. "We're looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour."

Simon Cowell also weighed in, saying he was proud of Malik.

"I would like to say thank you to Zayn for everything he has done for One Direction. Since I first met Zayn in 2010, I have grown very, very fond — and immensely proud — of him," his statement said. "I have seen him grow in confidence and I am truly sorry to see him leave.

"As for One Direction, fans can rest assured that Niall, Liam, Harry and Louis are hugely excited about the future of the band."

Last week, fans were bereft at the news that Malik had returned home "to recuperate" from stress from the band's world tour.

Malik's history with the band has been spotty recently. He missed an appearance on the Today show in November because of a "tummy bug," Liam said at the time.

His departure from the current tour happened a day after he hit back on Twitter about rumors of trouble in his relationship with fiancé Perrie Edwards of the band Little Mix.

Before they could play the Philippines, immigration authorities last week imposed a $5,000 "pot bond" on Malik and band member Louis Tomlinson, with the money to be forfeited if they used illegal drugs.This was after an online video last year appeared to show Malik and Tomlinson smoking pot and joking about drug use.

When he tweeted #FreePalestine last July, he faced the same backlash that other stars faced on Twitter for making pro-Palestine remarks.

The next scheduled date on One Direction's On the Road Again tour is in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday.