US presenter Matt Lauer has been slammed today after suggesting that One Direction’s Zayn Malik is a drug user during a live television interview.
The band were due to appear on the Today show to promote their new album Four but only Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Harry Styles made it to the studio, prompting Lauer to enquire as to Zayn’s absence.
While Liam replied that Malik had a “tummy bug so he’s not very well”, Lauer continued to press the band on the reason for his illness.
“Liam, there’s obviously a lot of concern, a lot of fans have been tweeting overnight, there’s been a lot of action on social media about him. Is it something more serious than just a minor illness? There have been rumors of substance abuse. What’s going on?”
However, the band would not be pressed and insisted that “he’s just got a stomach bug. He’s okay. He’s just at home. He just needs to rest. He’s okay.”.
The controversial question has since sparked ire from One Direction fans, who took to Twitter to express their outrage at the implication that Zayn was on drugs.
The fact that that interviewer felt like he had the audacity to ask even ask if Zayn wasn’t there bc of substance abuse is way over the line
— buy four on itunes (@validzjm) November 17, 2014
if I could’ve slapped Matt Lauer through my tv for accusing Zayn of “substance abuse” I freaking would’ve.
— Abbey Kempf (@abbeyykempf) November 17, 2014
Instead of asking if Zayn has a substance abuse problem the interviewer should’ve asked why Liam was the only one wearing a jacket!!!
— n (@inilann) November 17, 2014
