Gigi Hadid and her longtime boyfriend, Zayn Malik, have quietly “separated,” an insider tells In Touch exclusively in an update on the couple’s relationship status.
“Zayn and Gigi have silently separated. They’d been having problems for a while and tried to figure them out, but it just wasn’t working,” the source reveals about Gigi, 26, and Zayn, 28. The insider adds that after their split, which was confirmed by multiple sources, “Zayn continues to be very much involved in Khai’s life and he and Gigi still care deeply for each other.”
The supermodel and “Pillow Talk” crooner did reunite recently to celebrate their daughter Khai’s first birthday in September, and they both appeared to be in great spirits. Family members shared photos on Instagram from the special soiree, which included balloons spelling out their baby girl’s name as well as several presents and toys.
Despite the pair taking time apart to focus on themselves, Zayn is still “very much involved in Khai’s life and there’s always a possibility that they’ll get back together in the future,” notes the insider close to the duo.
Zayn and Gigi broke up for the first time in June 2016 but reconciled within a matter of days. The pair called it quits for the second time in March 2018 and got back together a month later, only to part ways again in January 2019. By January 2020, however, the duo gave their relationship another chance to flourish, leading to their baby No. 1 news.
The former One Direction singer announced the arrival of their first child together in September 2020, taking to Twitter to share the big news.
“Our baby girl is here, healthy and beautiful,” Zayn gushed about being a new father to their daughter, Khai. “To try [to] put into words how I am feeling right now would be an impossible task. The love I feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding. Grateful to know her, proud to call her mine and thankful for the life we will have together x.”
While the couple have chosen not to show their daughter’s face on social media, Gigi and Zayn do share glimpses of their precious bundle of joy from time to time.
On their daughter’s first birthday, Khai’s aunt Bella Hadid took to Instagram with a loving tribute for her niece, writing, “Happy Birthday to the greatest gift our family has ever been blessed with … I didn’t know my heart could grow this big!!!! You make me smile when I’m sad and make me cry of happiness just because [you’re] alive.”
The news of the split comes after a report was published claiming Yolanda Hadid said that Malik had allegedly “struck” her during a dispute in mid-October. Zayn has denied the allegation.