One Direction member Zayn Malik strikes back at The Today Show host Matt Lauer over the drug abuse remarks he made on his show after Malik failed to turn up.

In an interview with Dan Wootton at The Sun, Malik aired his anger and was "upset by what was said on The Today Show."

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Malik said that he was sick over the weekend, which is why he couldn't join the other One Direction heart throbs on the flight to Orlando.

Matt Lauer shocked the boys when he asked them if his absence has something to do with drugs.

"'There's obviously a lot of concern, a lot of fans have been tweeting overnight. Is it something more serious ? There have been rumors of substance abuse. What's going on?" he said.

Only the four of them were able to make it to Orlando on Monday for the promo tour of their album.

"No, he's just got a stomach bug. He's okay. He's just at home. He just needs to rest," Liam Payne came to Malik's defense.

1D fans were furious with Lauer's remarks. 

The boy groups' representative also sent a statement to MailOnline saying: "Zayn was taken ill after recording the Band Aid single at the weekend and was unfortunately not well enough to fly to the USA yesterday. "

While Liam was vocal about his pal's tummy bug, their representative meanwhile explained that the group's management do not "comment on private medical matters."

With Malik's absence, it's been the remaining power four who took charge in promoting their new album Four.

The singers were carried by a boat to the stage with around 15,000 eager fans who flocked the Universal CityWalk to catch a glimpse of today's hottest boy band.  

TagsZayn Malik, One Direction, the today show, Matt Lauer