In December 2010, Simon Cowell’s latest boy band endeavor said goodbye to the U.K. The X Factor’s audience had voted the five-piece vocal group into the final three acts on the show's seventh season, but failed to bring in the numbers that would carry them across the finish line, as singer-songwriter Matt Cardle was ultimately crowned champion.
But the group was determined that their elimination wouldn’t mark the end of their story. “We’re definitely going to stay together,” Zayn Malik said.
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