the internet has reacted in typical fashion to today's double blow that zayn malik is quitting one direction and jeremy clarkson has been sacked   by suggesting the 54 year old job seeker becomes the boy band's fifth member dozens of hilarious memes have been spread across social media showing the group posing together with zayn replaced by the petrol head in an array of publicity and performance shots mostly consisting of clarkson's head photoshopped onto zayn's body, other images include clarkson with his arms draped across his fellow band members' shoulders, or performing on stage alongside harry styles scroll down for video  a promotional poster for the band's on the road again tour was edited to include clarkson being part of the line up  the internet memes showed the boy band with its fifth member being recently sacked clarkson (centre) here he is pictured wearing zayn's shirt and braces  another image showed the group wearing suits, with clarkson donning a dark brown jacket  clarkson, wearing a white long sleeve shirt, poses alongside the band members in another hilarious photoshopped image  it follows this afternoon's announcement that zayn, 22, would be quitting the group a week after he was pictured holding hands with a blonde essex girl during the group's tour in thailand after five years with the band, the singer has bowed out, leaving niall horan, harry styles, liam payne and louis tomlinson to continue as a four piece just hours previously, lord hall, the director general of the bbc, had announced clarkson was sacked after the corporation's internal investigation found he had punched producer oisin tymon with such force tymon had to go to a&e the corporation's internal investigation concluded the star, 54, launched an 'unprovoked' 30 second physical attack on tymon because he was offered a plate of cold cuts instead of steak and chips however, with clarkson now looking for work and one direction appearing to have a vacancy, sharp witted twitter users quickly created a series of memes in a light hearted attempt to solve both problems in announcing his decision to quit the group, zayn said: 'my life with one direction has been more than i could ever have imagined 'but, after five years, i feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band i'd like to apologise to the fans if i've let anyone down, but i have to do what feels right in my heart' the department for work and pensions also tweeted about the news, offering zayn some job seeking tips  lidl stores slashed the price of their one direction easter eggs by one fifth   20p   after zayn announced he was quitting the band  jeremy clarkson, wearing zayn's clothes, poses with his band mates in this photoshopped image  in this meme, zayn replaces clarkson as the host of top gear alongside james may and richard hammond  zayn, wearing clarkson's clothes, poses beside hammond and may in another internet meme that plays on the fact clarkson was today sacked just hours before zayn quit one direction  he continued: 'i am leaving because i want to be a normal 22 year old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight 'i know i have four friends for life in louis, liam, harry and niall i know they will continue to be the best band in the world' the best song ever hitmakers will record their fifth album in zayn's absence and will continue with the remaining dates on the band's forthcoming world tour meanwhile, the bbc found clarkson spent 20 minutes verbally abusing producer tymon in a luxury north yorkshire hotel before launching a 30 second physical assault that led to another member of staff dragging him away mr tymon said today after the sacking: 'he is a unique talent and i am well aware that many will be sorry his involvement in the show should end in this way' another picture shows clarkson performing on stage, with harry styles pictured to his immediate left  the bbc today sacked jeremy clarkson, leading to the creation of internet memes suggesting he join one direction here he is photoshopped far left into a picture of the group 
clarkson zayn bbc top gear harry liam niall
internet memes show clarkson posing as the boy band's fifth member . the hilarious images were created in the wake of zayn's decision to quit . his shock announcement came just hours after clarkson given the sack . he was sacked after a bbc investigation found he hit a top gear producer . zayn today declared he was quitting one direction to live a 'normal' life . harry, louis, liam and niall will continue as a four piece in his absence 