Zayn Malik claims One Direction avoid showing friendly affection to each other due to fan 'secret relationship' theories

Some fans believe members of the band are in romantic relationships with one another

Malik left the successful group in March 2015 (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Zayn Malik claims his former One Direction bandmates are cautious about showing friendly affection in public because of fan theories about “secret relationships” within the group.

Speaking to Fader magazine, the 22-year-old described how the beliefs held by certain fans that some members are in a romantic relationship, hidden by the group's management, affects the group.

Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles have long been the subject of fan-fiction “relationshipping” which claim the two are in a secret relationship. Fans have even dubbed the pair “Larry Stylinson”.

Malik, who did not mention any specific members, said: “There’s no secret relationships going on with any of the band members.

“It’s not funny, and it still continues to be quite hard for them. They won’t naturally go put their arm around each other because they’re conscious of this thing that’s going on, which is not even true. They won’t even do that natural behaviour.”

Liam Payne previously said rumours of the pair being in a relationship “drive [him] insane”. He speculated that after gay marriage laws were changed in the US, fans brought rainbow flags to their concerts “mainly because people think of the Louis and Harry thing”.

Styles dismissed rumours he was dating Radio 1 host Nick Grimshaw in an interview with GQ magazine and answered claims he was bisexual by replying:“Bisexual? Me? I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I’m not.”

Fans of the ‘Larry Stylinson’ theory have dedicated blogs and Twitter accounts to the assumed relationship as well as drawing suggestive fan art.

Malik defended fans, saying: “They’re so passionate, and once they get their head around an idea, that’s the way it is regardless of anything. If it wasn't for that passionate, like, almost obsession, then we wouldn’t have the success that we had.”

Malik left the X-Factor-created group in March 2015, saying he wanted to be a “normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight”.