Huge boyband legend stuns fans as he makes first TV appearance in years
A HUGE boyband legend stunned fans as he made his first TV appearance in years.
The Bradford lad and dad-of-one, who went on to have a successful solo career, chose US chat series The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to make his big screen return.
Zayn Malik, 31, is best known for being one-fifth of chart-topping group One Direction, which was created in 2013.
He left the X factor-formed band – which also included Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson – back in 2015, citing reasons of “stress.”
He went on to launch a successful solo career with hits including Pillowtalk and a collaboration with Taylor Swift – yet took a break from fame and has recently been off the radar.
One excited telly fan quipped: “The king is back,” as he made an impromptu appearance.
Zayn, donning an all-black outfit topped off with a leather jacket, appeared during Jimmy’s opening monologue.
He remained silent as he tapped a few keys on Jimmy’s laptop before his new track What I Am played out.
He then passed the host a letter as well as a vinyl copy of the track before walking off-stage with a wave.
The American read the words, which said: “My new single what I am is out on Friday from my upcoming album Room Under The Stairs available May 17.
“Hope you’ll check it out.
“I will, Zayn everybody!” before the crowd let out a huge cheer.
One fan was quick to comment on X: “Zayn realising he is a celebrity with millions of fans, oh he is backk.”
A second put: “Zayn just crashed Jimmy Fallon’s monologue to announce his single and album!”
A third then wrote: “CAN YOU HEAR US NOT BREATHING??”
Zayn, who shares daughter Khai with model ex Gigi Hadid, has opened up candidly about his anxiety and eating disorder struggles that have marred his path to fame.
He previously told The Sunday Time Style magazine of how this had forced him to pull out of shows and said: “People saw strength in that, and they didn’t seem to expect it from a guy, but they expect it from a female, which to me is crazy.
“We’re all human. People are often afraid to admit difficulties, but I don’t believe that there should be a struggle with anything that’s the truth.
“If you were a guy, you used to have to be really masculine, but now expressing emotion is accepted and respected.”
Zayn opened up on developing an eating disorder while he was in the world famous boyband, admitting it was because food was the only part of his life he had control over.
He explained: “Every area of my life was so regimented and controlled, it was the one area where I could say, ‘No, I’m not eating that’.”
Just last year, the group teased suggestions of a reunion to mark their 10th anniversary.
And earlier this year fans were convinced they spotted a “giveaway clue” from Liam Payne, which came in the form of a cryptic message.