Sun, Jul 5 Midday Edition English
Ottawa Press Ottawa Daily Briefing
Updated 12:04 16 stories today
Blog Business Local Politics Tech World

Zayn Malik: Relationship, Custody & Harassment Case

Caleb Owen Fraser MacDonald • 2026-07-02 • Reviewed by Sofia Lindberg

When a mega-celebrity couple splits, the question everyone wants answered is what happens next — especially when there’s a child involved? For Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid, the story isn’t about a messy breakup; it’s about building a functional co-parenting dynamic that prioritizes their daughter Khai, tracking the publicly verifiable details of their relationship timeline, custody arrangement, and where both stand today, drawing from court records and their own statements.

Full name: Zain Javadd Malik ·
Born: 12 January 1993 (age 31) ·
Occupation: Singer, songwriter ·
Notable works: Pillowtalk, Mind of Mine, Nobody Is Listening ·
Children: 1 daughter (Khai Hadid Malik) ·
Net worth (estimated): $75 million

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact custody schedule (days per month) is not publicly filed
  • Full details of the 2021 altercation with Yolanda Hadid remain contradictory in different accounts
  • Whether Zayn has started a new relationship (he says no, but media speculation continues)
  • The current status of Zayn’s legal obligations (probation, anger management) is not publicly updated
  • Whether Zayn has reconciled with Yolanda Hadid is unknown
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Malik continues music career while co-parenting; no new album announced
  • Hadid focusing on acting and fashion; both maintain separate lives

Five key facts, one pattern: the official record shows a clear legal resolution and a cooperative parenting partnership, but many details — including the exact custody schedule and the full context of the 2021 altercation — remain private.

Attribute Value
Full Name Zain Javadd Malik
Born 12 January 1993, Bradford, England
Occupation Singer, songwriter
Children 1 daughter (Khai Hadid Malik) with Gigi Hadid
Notable Albums Mind of Mine (2016), Nobody Is Listening (2021)
Net Worth (estimated) $75 million

Is Zayn Malik in a relationship now?

The upshot

Zayn Malik has publicly stated he is single and focused on fatherhood and music, but the gap between his own statements and tabloid speculation remains wide.

Zayn Malik’s recent statements on his relationship status

Rumors and public sightings in 2024–2025

  • No credible media outlet has reported a confirmed partner for Malik since his 2021 split from Hadid.
  • Social media speculation occasionally links him to other celebrities, but none have been corroborated by named sources.

The implication: Malik appears intent on keeping his private life out of the spotlight, making it difficult for the public to distinguish between fact and fan-generated narrative.

Why did Gigi Hadid leave Zayn?

The trade-off

The breakup was triggered by a family altercation that led to a legal case, yet both parents have since prioritized a functional co-parenting arrangement over public animosity.

Does Zayn still love Gigi?

The role of the 2021 altercation

  • The couple separated in October 2021 after a conflict that involved Yolanda Hadid (Harper’s Bazaar).
  • Zayn pleaded no contest to four counts of harassment — three against Yolanda and one against Gigi — in connection with the incident (E! News (celebrity news platform)).

Co-parenting relationship after the split

The pattern: while the public narrative around the breakup centered on conflict, the private reality — as described by both parties — is a cooperative arrangement focused on their daughter.

Does Zayn Malik have a baby?

The fact

Yes — Zayn and Gigi share a daughter, Khai Hadid Malik, born in September 2020. Both have consistently named her as their top priority in co-parenting statements.

When was Khai born?

Who is the mother of Zayn’s daughter?

  • Gigi Hadid is the mother of Khai. The couple dated on and off from 2015 to 2021 (People (celebrity and lifestyle news)).

What this means: Khai is the central link between the former couple and the reason they continue to communicate and coordinate closely four years after their breakup.

Who has custody of Zayn’s daughter?

The catch

While the public narrative often assumes a contentious custody battle, the available evidence points to a joint custody arrangement with Gigi holding primary physical custody — and both parents speaking positively about the setup.

Details of the custody agreement

  • Gigi Hadid has primary physical custody of Khai; Zayn has visitation rights (Entertainment Tonight (court documentation coverage)).
  • Zayn stated in 2023 that he has his daughter about 50% of the time and does not work when she is with him.

Gigi Hadid’s comments on co-parenting

  • In 2023, Gigi told a magazine that they “have each other’s backs” as co-parents.
  • In 2025, she told Vogue that they plan their schedule months in advance but allow for flexibility.

Why this matters: the arrangement described by both parents contradicts the tabloid image of a fractured post-breakup family. For fans and observers, the real story is more about successful co-parenting than ongoing drama.

What was Zayn accused of?

The paradox

Zayn Malik accepted legal responsibility for harassment through a no-contest plea, yet continues to deny the physical details of the incident — creating a gap between the legal outcome and the public’s understanding of what actually happened.

The 2021 incident with Yolanda Hadid

Zayn Malik’s no contest plea

  • He pleaded no contest to four counts of harassment in October 2021: three against Yolanda and one against Gigi.

Legal consequences and resolution

  • He was sentenced to 360 days of probation and 52 anger management classes.
  • Zayn denied physical contact but accepted the plea to avoid a prolonged legal battle (E! News (celebrity news platform)).
  • Gigi did not press charges; Yolanda was the complainant.

The trade-off: by pleading no contest, Malik avoided a trial but left the factual specifics of the altercation legally unresolved — which means the public will likely never know exactly what happened.

Timeline: Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid

The timeline below tracks key public events from Zayn’s birth to recent co-parenting updates.

Date/Period Event
January 1993 Zayn Malik born in Bradford, England
2015 Zayn leaves One Direction
2015–2021 On-again, off-again relationship with Gigi Hadid (People (celebrity and lifestyle news))
September 2020 Daughter Khai born (Billboard (music and celebrity news outlet))
October 2021 Zayn pleads no contest to harassment; probation and anger management ordered (Entertainment Tonight (court documentation coverage))
October 2021 Zayn and Gigi announce separation (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine))
2022–2024 Co-parenting arrangement established; Gigi speaks positively about shared parenting (People (celebrity and lifestyle news))
2023 Zayn says he has Khai about 50% of the time (Entertainment Tonight (court documentation coverage))
2024 Zayn states he is single and focusing on music
March 2025 Gigi tells Vogue they plan custody months in advance (Billboard (music and celebrity news outlet))

The pattern: the timeline shows a clean break in the romantic relationship in 2021, followed by a steady, public shift toward describing the co-parenting arrangement as collaborative and respectful.

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid are not in a romantic relationship as of 2024.
  • They share joint custody of their daughter Khai.
  • Zayn entered a no-contest plea for harassment in October 2021.
  • Zayn stated in 2023 that she has Khai about 50% of the time (Entertainment Tonight (court documentation coverage)).
  • Gigi stated in March 2025 that they plan custody months in advance (Billboard (music and celebrity news outlet)).

What remains unclear

  • Exact custody schedule (days per month) is not public.
  • Whether Zayn has started a new relationship (he says no, but media speculation continues).
  • The full details of the altercation that led to the charges (contradictory accounts).
  • The current status of Zayn’s legal obligations (probation, anger management) is not publicly updated.
  • Whether Zayn has reconciled with Yolanda Hadid is unknown.

The implication: the public record is strong on the legal outcomes and the cooperative co-parenting tone, but weak on the granular details that would satisfy tabloid curiosity — which is exactly how both parents seem to want it.

What they said: Key statements from Zayn and Gigi

“I’m currently single and not looking for a relationship. I want to be a good father.”

— Zayn Malik, in a 2023 Call Her Daddy podcast interview (InStyle (celebrity and fashion lifestyle outlet))

“We have each other’s backs when it comes to Khai. Co-parenting is going well.”

— Gigi Hadid, in a 2023 magazine interview (People (celebrity and lifestyle news))

The no-contest plea agreement filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court states Zayn accepted four counts of harassment.

— Court records, as reported by Entertainment Tonight (Entertainment Tonight (court documentation coverage))

These statements show a consistent narrative of respect and cooperation.

Frequently asked questions

Did Zayn Malik physically hurt Yolanda Hadid?

Zayn denied physical contact but pleaded no contest to four counts of harassment — three against Yolanda and one against Gigi — and accepted probation and anger management classes to avoid trial (Entertainment Tonight (court documentation coverage)).

What is the relationship between Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid now?

They are not in a romantic relationship but maintain a functional co-parenting dynamic centered on their daughter Khai. Gigi has described their relationship as having “love and camaraderie” in the co-parenting context (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine)).

How old is Zayn Malik’s daughter?

Khai Hadid Malik was born in September 2020, making her approximately 4 years old as of 2025 (Billboard (music and celebrity news outlet)).

What does Zayn Malik do for a living?

He is a singer and songwriter. He rose to fame as a member of One Direction and has since released three solo albums: Mind of Mine (2016), Nobody Is Listening (2021), and Room Under the Stairs (2024).

Is Zayn Malik still making music?

Yes. He released his third solo album, Room Under the Stairs, in 2024, and continues to work on music.

Who is the most recent person Zayn Malik dated?

His most recent confirmed relationship was with Gigi Hadid, which ended in October 2021. He has stated in interviews that he is not interested in another public relationship (People (celebrity and lifestyle news)).

What is Zayn Malik’s ethnicity and religion?

Zayn was born in Bradford, England, to a Pakistani father and an English mother of Irish descent. He has publicly identified as Muslim.

For readers following the story, the key takeaway is straightforward: the court case is resolved, the co-parenting arrangement is stable and cooperative, and both parents continue to build independent lives. The gap between tabloid speculation and the verifiable record has only widened — and that may be exactly the way Zayn and Gigi intend it. For anyone tracking celebrity breakups with a child involved, the choice is clear: believe the legal outcomes and the parents’ own words, or get lost in the noise.



Caleb Owen Fraser MacDonald

About the author

Caleb Owen Fraser MacDonald

Coverage is updated through the day with transparent source checks.