Zayn Malik wants to study English at university.

The One Direction heartthrob shot to fame with the chart-topping boy band in 2010 and had to put his educational dreams on hold, but he reveals he would love to go back to his studies one day because he loves reading.

He told The Sun newspaper: ''If I wasn't doing this, I'd be at uni. I wanted to, and still quite want to, do an English degree. It's frustrating because I don't get any time to read on tour. I don't get time to call my mum and dad, never mind get stuck into a book. As soon as I try, I fall asleep. I do want to get a Kindle though, perhaps that would make it a bit easier.''

The 20-year-old star may be one fifth of the world's biggest boy band, however, he admits he is still ''scared'' of getting into trouble with his parents and says his bandmates - Niall Horan, 19, Liam Payne, 19, Harry Styles, 19, and Louis Tomlinson, 21 - also make sure he doesn't get big-headed.

He said: ''Those four lads are the only ones who really understand how it is. They have my back with everything, but they'd tell me if I'm acting like a d*** too. They'd be the first to tell me.

''Oh, and then I'd get a phonecall from my mum and dad -- and when I do, I'm still like, 'S***!' You never outgrow being scared of your parents.''