Simon Cowell wants One Direction on X Factor final before split

Simon Cowell wants One Direction to bow out in style before their split next year (16) by performing on The X Factor final in the U.K.

The band will go their separate ways after the release of their fifth album in March (15), and music mogul Cowell insists the temporary year-long split was always on the cards, but he hopes their last performance as a group will be on the TV talent show that spawned them.

He tells Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper, "I would like their last performance before their break to be the X Factor final, 100 per cent. I think they will come on the final of X Factor this year."

Cowell also referenced Zayn Malik, who has come under fire recently for controversial posts on Twitter.com, seemingly aimed at his former bandmates and his ex-fiancee, Little Mix's Perrie Edwards.

He says, "I don't like this Twitter stuff, it's kind of like 'you are always going to regret what you send out on Twitter'. With Zayn, I think he has got to put a sense of perspective back in his life. You had a really great opportunity, you decided for whatever reason that you didn't want to do it anymore."

Cowell's comments about Malik come as Rixton's Jake Roche slammed the former One Direction member for dumping Edwards last month (Jul15).

Roche tells The Sun newspaper, "I think he's a f**king idiot. The way he's treated her is horrible. He's not a very nice man. Professionally he's talented but - and I'm speaking from what I've seen - he should be ashamed. It's disrespectful. And the whole re-tweeting thing. He finished with her! Why antagonize it? It's done! It's a shame. He's talented but he's spoiled it."