X Factor judge Louis Walsh hinted that he thinks Zayn Malik’s girlfriend, Perrie Edwards, is the real reason he left One Direction.

Malik announced his decision to quit the band on Wednesday after leaving their world tour early last week.

He claimed the reason he left was because he wants a more “normal” life, but Walsh told Irish radio station RTE Radio One it could be because of Edwards, Entertainmentwise reports.

"What I found in the past is as things get on, and as they get girlfriends, the girlfriends 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,” he explained.

There’s been no talk of Malik having a solo career just yet, but Walsh did also talk about the “dark side” of the fame and success of One Direction.

“They’ve been in a bubble for the last five years, pressure, working, a lot harder than people think, so something had to give,” he said. “So Zayn was the first person just to crack up a little bit.”

image via INFphoto.com