Zayn Malik is to executive produce a television series about a boy band.

Zayn Malik

Zayn Malik

The former One Direction star has teamed up with 'Law & Order's Dick Wolf and his wife Noelle Wolf on a scripted show about the formation of a successful boy band.

Speaking about the project, Zayn said: "Dick Wolf is a legend and the opportunity to work with him and NBC to create a compelling drama series is awesome."

Whilst Noelle added: "We were intrigued by the synergistic potential that Zayn brings to the project."

The show is currently titled 'Boys' and will be written by Sherri Cooper Landsman and Jennifer Levin.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old singer previously opened up about his departure from One Direction and admits he just "knew it was his time" to leave.

He said: "I just knew it was my time. I knew I wanted to do something different and start expressing the way I felt about certain things ...

"I know that musicians are seen as one-sided people a lot of the time. But we do have other elements to us as well. I didn't feel good. Do you know what I mean? And if you don't feel good ... You need to be able to express what it is that you are. I'm free at last."

And Zayn admits he was worried how his fans would take to his new solo music.

He added: "I didn't know what to expect. I wanted to make that statement, that this was something completely separate from whatever was out there before. I kind of expected the fans that followed me before to be a bit freaked out by it.

"It was nerve-racking for me but it worked out for the best, because people started listening to it in a more mature context. The fans took things they liked from it ... and made sure to tell me about things they didn't like, on social media. But just getting it out there was the main thing."