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Former One Direction star Zayn Malik says he's let the fans down in his first interview since quitting the boy band.

and explained more about the decision in an interview with The Sun newspaper saying: "I can't do this anymore."

The star admitted his decision was "crazy and wild and a bit mad."

But, he added, "I've never felt more in control in my life. "

Zayn denied there were any problems between the band members, saying those claims "couldn't be more wrong".

He added: "I feel like I'm doing what's right, right by myself and right by the boys."

But he said he had wanted out of the band for some time.

"You know, I did try to do something that I wasn't happy doing for a while, for the sake of maybe other people

"Basically, I'm only upset [because] I feel like I may have let them down."

"It's not that I've turned my back on them [the fans] or anything, it's just that I just can't do that anymore because it's not real to me."

, Zayn said: "After five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band."

Meanwhile, Zayn has reportedly visited a west London recording studio to work on solo material with Naughty Boy; who helped launch the careers of Emeli Sande and Sam Smith.