One Direction: Simon Cowell Isn’t Pleased Zayn Malik Didn’t Consult Him Over 1D-Inspired Show

Not only is Zayn Malik still showing the world what he’s made of with his solo music, but he’s now venturing into television — and it’s inspired by his whirlwind career as a One Direction member.

Rolling Stone reports that the 23-year-old will be working with Dick Wolf (Law & Order) and his wife Noelle to executive produce a show called Boys.

The scripted series will show what life is like for a fictional boy band as they rise to fame. Like FOX’s hit show Empire, Boys will also feature original music — one can presume that Malik will have a hand in that side of things, while also consulting about the realism of the show’s plot.

“Dick Wolf is a legend. The opportunity to work with him and NBC to create a compelling drama series is awesome,” Malik said in a statement.

Sherri Cooper Landsman and Jennifer Levin have been announced as head writers for Boys.

Meanwhile, Simon Cowell, One Direction’s creator and manager, isn’t pleased that Zayn Malik is working on this new television show without his input.

“Nothing surprises me anymore. I think he should have come to me with it,” Cowell told Entertainment Tonight earlier this week. “I do actually believe that when they’ve got these ideas, bearing in mind where we started, they should actually come to me. I like everyone who’s got ambition, but there’s always part of me that thinks, ‘You should give it to me.'”

When asked if the project had his blessing, Cowell was evasive. He returned to his earlier statement — he would’ve liked to be consulted first.

Zayn Malik, of course, has firsthand experience with the madness that accompanies being in an internationally known boy band. Cowell formed One Direction after the members auditioned separately for X Factor in the U.K.; the band has since released five studio albums under his label, Syco Records.

Malik shocked their loyal fanbase last year after flying home in the middle of One Direction’s tour, only to announce his permanent departure from the group later on.

Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson finished off the tour and released their Made in the A.M. album before announcing they’d be going on an indefinite hiatus.

Things seemed to be rocky between Simon Cowell and Zayn Malik in the months after he left, especially when Malik told Fader magazine in his cover story interview that he didn’t have any creative freedom in One Direction.

“There was never any room for me to experiment creatively in the band. If I would sing a hook or a verse slightly R&B, or slightly myself, it would always be recorded 50 times until there was a straight version that was pop, generic as ****, so they could use that version. Whenever I would suggest something, it was like it didn’t fit us.”

According to Design & Trend, Cowell responded indirectly during an E! interview.

“I think once [Zayn] has had a chance to reflect on everything, he will probably reconsider what he’s said because it was a very, very democratic process in the band,” he said, adding that Malik’s comments were a “bit rude.”

While his former One Direction bandmates Styles and Payne have signed solo record deals since the break began, Malik has been making it clear that going solo has been the best decision for him since signing with RCA Records last summer.

His debut single, “Pillowtalk,” is a number one hit, while his album Mind of Mine debuted at No. 1 in 10 countries, including his home in the U.K.

It will be interesting to see if Simon Cowell or One Direction make any comments as Boys heads towards its television debut.

As we all know, a little drama definitely makes for entertaining television.

[Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision for Hasbro/AP Images]