Zayn Malik leaving One Direction?

Zayn Malik is apparently thinking about leaving One Direction.

The 19-year-old has hit headlines recently following claims he cheated on his singer girlfriend Perrie Edwards with an Australian waitress.

The scandal seems to have rocked the young star, reportedly causing him to consider abandoning bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan.

"There is growing concern among the bosses that Zayn is on the brink at the moment," a source told Celeb Buzz.

"He feels that the last six months have been his toughest yet in the band. Even before the cheating scandal, Zayn was steering clear of nights out with his bandmates and sometimes would skip media events. He has been quite low at several points when being away for key family celebrations. But his pals have cheered him up. People forget he is the shyest member."

Harry has also attracted gossip, thanks to his high-profile romances with stars such as Taylor Swift and Cara Delevingne.

The band attracts many younger fans, meaning the boys feel pressure to act in a responsible manner.

"Naturally, [Zayn] likes the adoration and his day job, but he is battling to cope with the pressure which comes with it," the insider continued.

"Every step 1D makes is scrutinised and judged by the public and media. Their reputation as role models to teens is also weighing heavy on his shoulders as it is not natural for him to be bright, bubbly and smiley twenty-four seven. All of the boys to a certain extent feel that things have changed since they became so huge. They used to have fun together wherever they went, but now the novelty has worn off and the reality of 1D being a round-the-clock job is sinking in."

Last night, Zayn took to Twitter and posted what seemed like a resigned message to his fans.

"Goodnight the world x (sic)" he wrote.

Throughout the cheating scandal, Zayn and Perrie have remained together, apparently trying to work through their problems.

The young star's supporters have also stuck by him, causing Zayn to tweet a message of thanks last week.

"Hi everyone, just a quick message to say I love all you guys, without your support I don't know what I'd do :) x (sic)" he posted.