“I knew there were troubles”: Sinitta speaks about Zayn Malik leaving One Direction

You can always rely on Sinitta to pipe up when there’s anything vaguely Simon Cowell-related in the news.

She’s like a timely and very reliable foghorn, with lovely hair.

Sin went on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and spilled a load Zayn Malik-related stuff (and referred to her and Simon Cowell as “we”, naturally).

“I didn’t know that he was going to be leaving, I knew that there were troubles but the funny thing is, Zayn, he was always the most reluctant,” she dished.

“Even in the early days when we wanted them to dance and there was choreography… he was always the shy one at the back.

“He has an incredible voice, beautiful boy, really sweet but just very, very shy and introverted so it was hard to get him to even be in the band in the first place.”

Sin revealed the recent Thailand/“mystery blonde” who isn’t Perrie Edwards hoo-ha will have deeply affected Zayn.

“Zayn was always the romantic, spiritual one, he always took his relationships very seriously, he was always very gentle.

“I think the relationship is important to him, he and Perrie, that’s a very prominent relationship for him and for that to be threatened in any way - especially when you’re travelling around the world and all the stress and drama of that - you need an anchor, some stability somewhere so I think that would have rocked him a lot.”

She couldn’t resist comparing Zayn to herself (a totally natural comparison, of course).

“I used to get upset and be calling my mother in the middle of the night when I was a young pop star because sometimes you just wake up and you’re overwhelmed and you just want a cuddle from your mum.”

We’re not talking about YOU, Sinitta, but OK.

“Since [One Direction] were on [The X Factor] they literally haven’t had six months to just be kids. Yes, they’ve been tremendously successful, I’m sure it’s been great fun, but you know, you miss your mum, you miss your dad, your siblings, your dog, your friends, sleeping in your own bed.”

We’re sure that Zayn left because he misses his dog, sounds about right, Sinitta.

Sinitta signed off by confirming that “we’re really sad”. She means her and Simon. Yes, we’re trying hard not to imagine them doing sexy things in the 80s, too.

Thanks for your input Sinitta, and we’ll see you on telly as soon as the* X Factor* 2015 judge rumours start… so next month, yeah?

Bye-bye, Zayn