One Direction Zayn Malik Interview, News: Matt Lauer Interview Sparks Fan Anger

In a recent interview with members of One Direction, the host of the Today show, Matt Lauer, appeared to have asked one too many questions about band member Zayn Malik's absence and his rumored drug dependency.

Fellow band members told Lauer that Malik was just suffering from a stomach bug. Following the interview, the TV audience and other fans of the group expressed their disgust at the questions asked.

The interview was meant to promote One Direction's latest album. Four band members -- Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne – took part in the interview on stage. However, focus soon turned to the absence of Malik in the group. Lauer asked if he was well. Liam then answered that Malik "had a tummy bug, so he's not very well at the moment, and couldn't make it to the show."

However, Lauer seemed unsatisfied with the reply and continued by stating that "there has been a lot of concern from fans who have been tweeting overnight, is there something more serious, because there have been rumors of substance abuse."

Fox News notes that Liam was taken aback by the question but quickly replied that "Malik has stomach bug and he just needs to rest." He then went through the interview as if nothing had happened.

However, the same could not be said for fans in the audience who started booing Lauer during the show. Soon after fans took to Twitter and demanded that he be sacked from the "Today" show, while others even posted death threats.

Once the interview was aired, Malik spoke to the press and expressed his outrage at the question posed by Lauer, stating that "I was really angry and upset by what was said on the show. I was really ill over the weekend, that's why I couldn't fly to America."

Since making the statement, Malik has joined the band in Orlando and performed on stage.