‘The X Factor’ UK: Simon Cowell talks Zayn Malik’s One Direction exit

Simon Cowell may not exactly be the face of One Direction, but he is someone who has been with them in one way or another for the entirety of their career. he helped to steer the ship on “The X Factor,” and has worked with them in some capacity ever since their time on the show ended. Simon’s a smart guy, and he knew probably from the moment that they left the show that they could be the biggest act in its history. As you would expect, he was right! The group became an international success story.

Of course, it is with this in mind that Zayn Malik’s departure became such international news, and why it was the primary subject of Cowell’s interview on “The Late Late show with James Corden.” Cowell admitted that he was terrified when he first heard the news of Malik’s departure, but he also knew it was coming for a long time and he helped to prepare the group for life without him. He also complimented the other boys (Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan) heavily, saying that they responded to the news in the best way that they could.

Quite possibly the best part of this entire video, interestingly enough, is the bizarre and random trolling provided at the very end by actor Michael Douglas. This is what happens when you put random people out there for interviews together at the same time. This is something new that is being done with Corden’s show, and so far we feel it is giving us favorable results.

The new season of “The X Factor” premieres on ITV this fall, and you can read some more of the latest news on the show over at the link here.

Also, sign up now to get some further news worth singing about via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ITV.)