Simon Cowell Admits Zayn Malik Quitting One Direction Made Him Want to "Jump Off a Cliff," Notes New Album Is Best Ever

At first, Cowell riffed that he wanted to "jump off a cliff" when Malik announced he wanted to quit, but then got real about his reaction, noting that it was actually a long time coming.

"I kind of knew this was coming if I was being honest with you. We had a few conversations. He wasn't happy and I was trying to say to him, 'Look I think you should stay around a bit longer.' And then something just in him said 'I had enough,' and then once the decision was made I dealt with it," he said. "Then obviously made sure the guys were OK because, you know, they were shocked as well."

Cowell later admitted that there was nothing he could do to make Malik stick around, because the 22-year-old had already made his mind up about leading the band.

"Once someone's made their mind up, they're going to go. But also at the same time, I don't want to push him too much because, you know, he's 22, and I could see he was a bit stressed and he needed some time off," he said. "So I had to respect his decision."

Despite the new foursome status of One Direction, Cowell is optimistic about the band's future, saying they bounced back quickly after Malik quit and performed some "incredible" live shows despite the drama.

Cowell also noted that he's heard some of the new material from One Direction's forthcoming fifth studio album and admitted that it's some of the best music he's heard from them.

Watch the full interview below, which also includes a little pot stirring courtesy of Michael Douglas.

Tags

Simon Cowell, One Direction, Zayn Malik