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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Former One Direction singer Zayn Malik is trying his hand at television. News outlets reported Tuesday that the 23-year-old British recording artist will co-executive produce the new NBC series Boys with Law & Order creator Dick Wolf.
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Boys will follow the ups and downs of forming a successful boy band. The series will draw from Malik's experience with One Direction, which he left in March 2015.
"Dick Wolf is a legend and the opportunity to work with him and NBC to create a compelling drama series is awesome," the singer said in a statement.
"It's exciting to be diving into this project with such passionate and prolific producers," NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke added. "Zayn certainly brings an authentic point of view to this world where kids are catapulted into fame at a dizzying speed."
One Direction was formed on the British version of The X Factor in 2010. The show's creator, music and television producer Simon Cowell, told Entertainment Tonight he wishes Malik had approached him about the TV series.
"Nothing surprises me anymore," Cowell said after the news broke. "I think he should have come to me with it, if I'm being honest with you ... I do actually believe that when they've got these ideas, bearing in mind where we started, they should actually come to me."
Malik released his debut solo album, Mind of Mine, in March, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The singer canceled his Oct. 7 concert in Dubai this week, citing "extreme anxiety."
