Simon Cowell has apologised for making a dig at ex-One Direction member Zayn Malik.
The X Factor head honcho made a v awkward joke at a recent awards ceremony which was held in his honour and admits that it ‘backfired hugely.’
While accepting the 24th MITS award to recognise his contribution to entertainment and charitable causes from One Direction themselves, he said: ‘Just by luck I get the award I've been wanting all my life and I'm completely hammered. Guys, who misses Zayn?’
He added: ‘We all get old but I've still got charisma.’
Now, we’ve all woken up with the fear after a big night out and looks like Simon was suffering too as less than a week later, the 56-year-old has issued an apology telling New York's Fresh 102.7: ‘I just kind of thought when I was standing on stage with them, that they were back to being five, and I saw myself [being a part of] One Direction for a moment,
‘That's when I made that quip, ‘Who Needs Zayn?' which of course backfired hugely. So I apologize to any Zayn fans out there – it was meant as a joke.’
Zayn famously left the band back in March and is currently working on solo music while the remaining members are currently taking a hiatus after five years of crazy touring.
Meanwhile, Zayn's new manager Sarah Stennett has given an interview with Billboard magazine claiming: ‘My job is simple: Make sure nobody gets in the way of him becoming an important artist.’