Zayn Malik cancels Dubai gig: I'm not confident enough to perform

Zayn Malik has cancelled his Dubai concert because of what he calls "extreme anxiety".

He was due to play a one-off gig at the city's Autism Rocks Arena on 7 October.

In a message to fans he said he's been working on how he deals with his nerves but didn't feel comfortable enough to play live.

"I feel I am making progress but I have today acknowledged that I do not feel sufficiently confident to move forward with the planned show," he writes.

"I am truly sorry to disappoint you. I hope to see you all soon."

Concert organisers 117 Live have said ticket holders will get a full refund for the cancelled show.

Chief executive Thomas Ovesen says they're disappointed but appreciated Zayn Malik's honesty.

"We will be looking forward to sharing more of Zayn's plans with his Middle East fans when we have such information."

Watch: Zayn: Like I Would - The Voice 2016

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Zayn also pulled out of the Capital Summertime Ball in June, again blaming his anxiety for cancelling the show.

The 23-year-old has only played a handful of live shows since leaving One Direction, which have mainly consisted of one song on US TV shows.

The announcement comes less than a week after Selena Gomez pulled out of a string of dates, including one in Dubai, because she needs to take some time off to deal with panic attacks, anxiety and depression.

At the weekend, Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello left the stage early at their gig in Missouri.

She later explained on Snapchat that she "was having too much anxiety" to finish the set.

There's help if you're suffering from anxiety and stress at BBC Advice.

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