In profile: Zayn Malik's rise to fame

Zayn Malik Credit: Mark Runnacles/PA Wire

One Direction member Zayn Malik officially announced his departure from the successful boyband today, after five years in the five-piece group.

Citing a desire to "be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight", Malik bowed out of the band that has brought him worldwide fame and success.

Malik, 22, first shot to fame after appearing on the X Factor in 2010, and although unsuccessful as a solo act he was chosen to join fellow contestants Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson in forming a new band called One Direction.

As a part of One Direction Bradford-born Malik enjoyed international success as a recording artist as the band became the first band in US Billboard 200 history to have four albums debut at number one.

In their five years as a band One Direction has also won 180 awards worldwide.

Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles pictured last year Credit: Ian West/PA Wire

Malik, who is said to be at home with his family and Little Mix fiancee Perrie Edwards following the announcement of his departure, is no stranger to the headlines and last year came in for public criticism after a video appearing to show him and fellow band member Louis Tomlinson smoking marijuana in Peru surfaced.

Most recently Malik's personal life dominated the headlines again when a picture of him holding hands with a woman in Thailand appeared online, prompting him to publicly reaffirm his love for fiancee Edwards.

It is not yet known what Malik intends to do next but his departure from One Direction may not come as a surprise to fans as speculation over his future has been mounting since last week when he walked away from a current world tour because he was suffering stress.

Timeline of Malik's career:

  • August 2010 - Chosen as one of five teenage solo contestants to form what later becomes One Direction.

  • December 2010 - One Direction finish the X Factor in third place, and come out of the show with a huge teenager following.

  • Early 2011 - Malik is romantically linked with fellow X Factor contestant Rebecca Ferguson.

  • September 2011 - One Direction achieve a UK number one with debut single What Makes You Beautiful.

  • April 2012 - Malik and Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards announce they are officially dating.

  • February 2, 2013: Malik is accused of cheating on Edwards with a waitress.

  • August 28, 2013: Malik and Edwards announce they are engaged on the same day the One Direction movie This Is Us is released.

  • May 27, 2014: A video emerges showing Malik and bandmate Louis Tomlinson allegedly smoking cannabis and joking about drug use.

  • July 28, 2014 Malik tweets #FreePalestine - it was retweeted 140,000 times.

  • March 19, 2015: Malik leaves One Direction's world tour after being "signed off with stress" after pictures emerged of him apparently close to another woman.

  • March 25, 2015: Malik announces he has quit One Direction.