'Mutual decision' as Harry Styles and Caroline Flack go separate ways

Caroline Flack and Harry Styles, who teamed up late last year (PA)

One Direction star Harry Styles has confirmed he has split from TV presenter Caroline Flack.

The chart-topping singer - who at 17 is 15 years younger than Flack - said it was a "mutual decision".

The pair teamed up late last year as the boy band's career took off.

They rarely spoke about their relationship, though Xtra Factor presenter Flack, 32, had hit back at criticism of their age gap, saying: "What's hard for me is people saying it's disgusting. I don't think it is."

Styles sent a message to his fans on Twitter confirming he was now single, but denied it was a one-sided move.

He wrote: "Please know I didn't 'dump' Caroline. This was a mutual decision. She is one of the kindest, sweetest people I know. Please respect that."

Flack, who hosted the backstage coverage of the National Television Awards on Wednesday night, kept quiet about the split, simply tweeting about her "great night", then complaining about her hangover the next day.

The split came ahead of One Direction heading to the US for a tour.

PA