Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik has issued an apology to fans after he was forced to cancel his Newcastle concert at the last minute.
The singer took to social media to explain: “I’m so sorry to do this but my voice just isn’t there at all tonight and without it there’s no show. I’m truly sorry to let you down, especially at such short notice… I held onto hope until the very last moment.
“I’m hopeful with some rest tonight I’ll be back on stage tomorrow. My deepest apologies Newcastle. Love you all.”
The former One Direction star is currently on his Stairway to the Sky Tour, which has seen him perform in cities including London, Manchester, Leeds, and Wolverhampton, with the final show scheduled for Edinburgh in a few days.
However, fans at Newcastle City Hall on Tuesday night were left stunned when a tannoy announcement revealed that the show had been cancelled.
Devastated fans were informed that the show “will no longer go ahead”. The announcement explained: “We apologise for the late notice, it was his hope that he would be able to continue with the show.
“But this is no longer possible. Please contact your point of purchase for reschedule or refunds. If you have parents or guardians collecting you, please stay in the auditorium and wait to be collected,” reports the Mirror.
As soon as the announcement hit social platforms, Zayn’s devoted followers were swift in expressing their concern and support across social media, with one fan posting on X/Twitter: “Come on guys, let’s think about it a bit, Zayn wouldn’t cancel a show at the last minute for anything… I hope everything is okay.”
“@zaynmalik Take care babe and we love you,” wrote another concerned fan, while yet another offered words of understanding: “Sorry for everyone attending the Newcastle show for Zayn’s tonight, please don’t say hateful words towards him we don’t know what he’s going through.”
The situation was intensely emotional as one attendee reported that there were “lots of people crying” inside the venue.
With his solo career taking off, this tour marked Zayn’s inaugural journey on the road alone since his departure from One Direction in 2015, delighting audiences with his personal hits like Pillowtalk and Ignorance Ain’t Bliss.
However, the celebratory nature of the tour was overshadowed by sorrow as Zayn faced a profound loss; just last month, Liam Payne tragically died at the young age of 31.
In light of this sombre event, Zayn decided to postpone the North American stretch of the tour and initiate his UK performances with two dedicated nights instead.