One Direction Zayn Malik Quits: 'X Factor' Judge Louis Walsh Says GF & Little Mix Perrie Edwards Is the Reason

The world was up in arms yesterday after news broke that Zayn Malik was calling it quits from One Direction. While some cited it as exhaustion and stress that was the main reason behind him saying goodbye to Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Liam Payne, his X Factor judge and mentor Louis Walsh had a different opinion on why he left the band and it has to do with a certain someone. Walsh believes that Malik's girlfriend Perrie Edwards told him to go solo.

According to E! News, the 62-year-old music industry professional says that Zayn's Little Mix girlfriend might have played a big part in why Zayn left his friends high and dry.

In a new interview with Irish RTE Radio One, Walsh opened up about the boy band's loss.

"What I found in the past is as things get on, and as they get girlfriends, the girlfriend are whispering things in their ears and saying like, 'You should be a solo star,' 'You should be the lead singer.' That's usually the problem."

While it might seem sudden, Walsh reveals that he saw it coming within the last few weeks, mentioning that he didn't think everything was copasetic with everyone in the band.

"I've heard the rumors for the last few weeks that everyone wasn't happy in paradise," the insider revealed. "The problem with these guys is they've been in a bubble for the last five years, pressure, working, a lot harder than people think, so something had to give. So Zayn was the first person just to crack up a little bit."