One Direction singer Zayn Malik kicked off dating app Tinder 'once or twice' as users think he's a catfish

Singer Zayn Malik has been kicked off dating app Tinder - because potential daters believed him to be a catfish.

The 31-year-old singer, who rose to fame in his teens as one fifth of superstar boyband One Direction, had been looking for love on the hugely popular dating site. But, he revealed in an interview that his account has been suspended because people think he is a fake.

Speaking about his experience of using the app, the 'Pillowtalk' singer said: “It’s not been too successful for me, I’ll be honest. Everyone accused me of catfishing. “They’re like, ‘what are you using Zayn Malik’s pictures for?’” Speaking with ‘Nylon’ magazine, he went on to admit that since using the app, he has "been kicked off once or twice”, though he didn’t say how long he had been on the app for.

The app, which sees users swipe right in the hope of matching with potential dates, also allows users to report profiles they suspect of being fake or disingenuous. Catfishing is the deceptive act of tricking someone in to an online connection by lying about who you are, often including the use of fake photos.

Considering that Tinder is a dating app for the masses, it’s no real surprise that fellow users thought that Malik, who does go simply by the stage name of Zayn, wasn’t real. Celebs do have access to their own dating site, Raya, which was created specifically to connect people in the entertainment industry. Perhaps Malik would have had better luck on there.

Malik was previously engaged to Little Mix member Perrie Edwards, after the two met on ITV talent show ‘The X Factor’ which catapulted them each to fame. The pair dated between 2011 and 2015, with Malik popping the question in 2013 before then going on to end the relationship.

Months after the split, he began a relationship with international supermodel Gigi Hadid. The couple dated on-and-off for the next six years. They welcomed a daughter, Khai, in September 2020, before breaking up for good a year later.

Since the end of his second high profile relationship, Malik has kept details about his relationship status private, but he’s now revealed he is single - and has also reflected on his unions with Edwards and Hadid.

Malik told ‘Nylon’ magazine: “I’m really content and happy with being single for the first time in my life. “From 17 to 21, I was in a relationship. I was engaged and [planned to get] married and I didn’t know anything about anything at that point,” he said. I thought I did, because I was 21. I was legally allowed to do everything, but I didn’t know s***.

He continued: ““From 21 to 27, I was with Gi, and we had a kid, and I didn’t really take much time to get to know myself.” He added, however, that he is still looking for love and hoped to be able to return to Tinder without incident.

Following his solo appearance on the ‘X Factor’ in 2010, he was put together with bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Thomlinson and Liam Payne by Simon Cowell to form hit group One Direciton. Malik left the group in March 2015.