Zayn Malik Responds to TODAY Show's Substance Abuse Question: "I'm Angry and Upset"

One Direction's Zayn Malik has responded to Matt Lauer questioning his bandmates if Malik was a substance abuser, telling the UK newspaper The Sun," I'm really angry and upset by what was said on the Today show. I was really ill at the weekend, that's why I couldn't fly to America. I was gutted to have to miss album release day, but I’m going to be back as soon as I can. As soon as I'm feeling better I'm going to join the guys and carry on with the promotion for the album."

When the group appeared on the TODAY show yesterday (Monday Nov. 17), Liam Payne said that Malik couldn't make the show because of a stomach bug. Host Matt Lauer wondered out loud if his sickness was substance abuse-related, which the rest of the band denied.

Lauer hasn't tweeted since Monday morning, when he said pre-interview he'd ask the band about Malik's absence.