'Stressed' One Direction star Zayn Malik takes a break from band

Zayn Malik has flown home from a One Direction tour suffering stress. Photo/AP

One Direction is one man down on its world tour.

The boy band's publicist says a stressed Zayn Malik is flying home to Britain.

Publicist Simon Jones said that "Zayn has been signed off with stress and is flying back to the UK to recuperate".

The band will continue with upcoming performances in Manila, Philippines, and Jakarta, Indonesia, as part of the On the Road Again tour.

It was not clear whether Malik would rejoin the tour for three scheduled dates in South Africa starting March 28.

Malik's departure comes a day after he hit back on Twitter at rumours of trouble in his relationship with fiancee Perrie Edwards of the band Little Mix after he was photographed with another woman.

He tweeted: "I'm 22 years old ... I love a girl named Perrie Edwards."

This week, authorities in the Philippines said they were imposing a $5000 "weed bond" on Malik and fellow band member Louis Tomlinson, with the money to be forfeited if they were caught using or promoting illegal drugs.

"The condition is intended to protect the public interest should the band members commit any violation during their stay in the Philippines," bureau spokeswoman Elaine Tan said.

Malik and Tomlinson appeared in a video, which circulated online last year, in which they appeared to smoke cannabis and joke about drug use.

- AP