This morning, Zayn Malik and Yolanda Hadid were trending on Google. Why? Because after TMZ reported that Yolanda had accused Zayn of assaulting her, the gossip website later revealed that Zayn and Gigi Hadid have split.
Now, it's been reported that Zayn was charged with four criminal offences of harassment against Yolanda and Gigi. According to TMZ, while official documents state that Zayn pleaded guilty to one count of harassment, court officials state that he actually pleaded no contest.
It’s the story that continues to take over our timelines, with Zayn previously releasing a statement denying TMZ’s claim that he ‘struck’ Yolanda. ‘I adamantly deny striking Yolanda Hadid and for the sake of my daughter I decline to give any further details and I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private,’ he said.
Zayn later posted a further statement on Twitter elaborating on the argument that led to this fallout.
‘As you all know I am a private person and I very much want to create a safe and private space for my daughter to grow up in,’ he wrote. ‘A place where private family matters aren’t thrown on the world stage for all to poke and pick apart. In an effort to protect that space for her I agreed not to contest claims arising from an argument I had with a family member of my partners who entered our home while my partner was away several weeks ago.
‘This was and still should be a private matter but it seems for now there is a divisiveness and despite my efforts to restore us to a peaceful family environment that will allow for me to co-parent my daughter in a manner which she deserves, this has been “leaked” to the press,’ he continued. ‘I am hopeful though for healing for all involved with the harsh words shared and more importantly I remain vigilant to protect Khai and give her the privacy she deserves.’
Gigi has similarly requested privacy, with a representative for the model telling E! News ‘Gigi is solely focused on the best for Khai. She asks for privacy during this time.’
Yolanda is yet to speak out on the allegations herself, with none of the parties involved confirming that Gigi and Zayn have actually split – however, TMZ reports that they have been separated for more than a month.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Zayn and Yolanda got into an argument where he called her a 'f**ing Dutch slut' and ordered her to 'stay away from [my] f**ing daughter.' It's then alleged that he 'shoved her [Yolanda] into a dresser causing mental anguish and physical pain.' Zayn denies this claim.
In regards to the harassment charges against Gigi, court documents state that he told her to 'strap on some f**ing balls and defend your partner against your f**ing mother in my house' during a phone call with the mother of his child.
On Wednesday, Zayn pleaded no contest to harassment and was fined, but with conditions. He was put on 90 days probation for each count, totaling 360 days. He must complete an anger management class and a domestic violence program, plus he is not allowed to have any contact with Yolanda. Should Zayn satisfy all the conditions for 6 months, the judge can then terminate the probation.
Now, according to Google, people are keen to understand what Yolanda and Zayn’s relationship was like prior to this incident. Variations of ‘Zayn Malik Yolanda Hadid’ make up six of the top ten search terms under his name.
From Gigi's perspective at least, the pair appeared to get along well in the past. In an interview in July this year, she told Harper’s Bazaar that while their relationship was tricky to navigate at first, he fell into a good rhythm with Yolanda during any family discussions
‘At first he was like, “How do I get a word in edgewise?” But now he is very comfortable,’ Gigi said. ‘He speaks his mind. When he’s in the middle of a family thing and everyone’s like, “Zayn, whose side are you on?” he’s charming… He’s usually on my mom's side, so he's smart in that sense.’
Despite rumours that Yolanda didn’t approve of Zayn at the beginning of his relationship with Gigi – something Gigi denied on Twitter in 2016, telling followers ‘Don’t believe everything you read.’ – in public Yolanda has long appeared to be a fan of Zayn. She would often posting pictures of him and Gigi on her Instagram, even referring to him as ‘family’ prior to them starting one of their own.
When Gigi was first pregnant, Yolanda was the one to confirm the news to Dutch celebrity news show RTL Boulevard. ‘Still shocked our little secret got leaked to the press,’ her quote read. ‘We are so excited. I’m excited to become oma in September.’ Oma means ‘Grandma’ in Dutch.
However, The Sun have reported that this was the initial reason for Zayn and Gigi's split. They state that tension began between Yolanda and Zayn because the couple had wanted to keep their pregnancy private until Khai, their now one-year-old daughter, was born.
Yolanda's parenting has also been the subject of criticism over the last year due to videos resurfacing from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills where she can be seen telling Gigi to stick to restrictive eating habits. In one vide posted on YouTube with near 7million views, titled ‘Yolanda Hadid Telling Gigi Not To Eat for 2 Minutes Straight’, Yolanda was criticised in the comments for encouraging her daughter to have an unhealthy attitude towards food.
Of course, only when Yolanda feels comfortable to speak out about her side can we really understand how her bond with Zayn deteriorated.
Read More:
Zayn Malik Splits From Gigi Hadid After Alleged Argument With Yolanda
A Complete Timeline of Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik's Relationship