Ryan Tubridy has weighed in on the shock exit of Zayn Malik from One Direction.
Speaking this morning, the radio presenter was candid about the time he had spent with Niall and the band last August in Chicago before their sold-out gig.
“I got really close to the eye of the storm, I was in the dressing room with Niall before the show having a few beers, shooting the breeze.
Eye of the storm: Ryan visited the band before the sold-out show in Chicago
“We were talking about Ireland, shooting the breeze, a great old chat and then you pass by Zayn, Louis and the other boys and they kind of looked tired but they were gearing up to go on.
“And then when they go on their performance is rock solid. They’re a boyband on stage singing to 60,000 girls.
“You just got a sense of the craziness of their life and it’s not one I’d want to be in,” he explained.
Craziness: Ryan revealed he experience a snippet of the madness the band go through
“I can see why you’d walk away from it,” Ryan admitted on his 2FM show.
Talking about Niall, Ryan revealed that he feels he’s “keeping it together” the most out of the band and the reason being “family and smarts”.
“I think he has both in abundance. He’s really connected to the family and I think he’s a particularly smart fella.
“I really believe that I’m not just blasmasing just because I’ve spent time with him – he’s not a mate by any means but the time I’ve spent talking with him and interviewing him – what a clued in fella,” he said.
‘Family and smarts’: Ryan believes Niall is a clued in fella
The RTE star also spoke about the band’s two appearances on The Late Late Show and revealed there was a clear mood shift between them.
“They were on The Late Late Show twice – the first time they were on they were very fresh and just out of the X Factor balloon of madness.
“Second time, there was a jadedness to it…they just don’t seem to stop – someone should give them a rest and if someone had given more rest then he [Zayn] wouldn’t of walked away.
