Danny O'Donoghue has advised One Direction to stay together.
His comments come just days after sources revealed that Zayn Malik, 21, was struggling with their meteorological fame.
The Script frontman told the Daily Star on Sunday newspaper: "If I was advising them I would tell them to stick together as long as possible. It should be the band against the world.
"You have to stick together, protect each other and look after each other. Maybe they need an extended break but I wouldn't advise them to split."
Meanwhile, an insider recently revealed how Zayn - who is part of the chart-topping band alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne - has become "exhausted and sick of fame" in light of the recent drug allegations.
They said previously: "Awful situations like this one - when he's accused of being a drug addict - are exactly why he's had enough.
"Zayn gets overwhelmed and has always found fame really hard to deal with. It hits him more at certain times than others and it's bad right now. He gets so homesick. His family are so close and he hates that he never gets to see them."
The source added: "Zayn feels like he's given so much of his life to the band and is cut off from everything.
"I think he thought proposing to Perrie [Edwards of girlband Little Mix] would mean an escape - that they could move to the country and have pets and be normal. But things haven't panned out like that yet."
Another recent report also claimed that the constant touring schedule has taken a toll on the friendship between the 'Steal My Girl' hitmakers.
Tagged in The Script Danny O'Donoghue One Direction