Daily Mail
· collected 2026-09-21 · by Will Hallowell, Ashleigh Gray, Jamie Boys
Ed Sheeran, 35, has faced backlash over the Israel-Palestine conflict after US stadium owner Robert Kraft banned rapper Macklemore from performing on Sheeran's tour due to pro-Palestine views. This led to cancelled shows and threats of boycotts, causing Sheeran emotional distress as he felt abandoned by his family and friends. During a Philadelphia concert, Sheeran broke down in tears, apologized for mishandling the situation, and expressed uncertainty about whether future tour dates would proceed.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
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Ed Sheeran says his family has 'abandoned' him and that he's 'found out who his friends are' amid the Israel-Palestine controversy that has threatened his tour.
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that → see → tour
The devastated British pop star, 35, has faced fierce backlash after Macklemore was dropped over his pro-Palestine views.
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Macklemore → face → views
Macklemore was removed from Ed's tour after US stadium owner Robert Kraft accused him of hate speech during previous support slots in which the rapper called for a 'free Palestine'.
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rapper → remove → Palestine
But Kraft, who is Jewish, banned him from performing at his Gillette Stadium near Boston, sparking an Israel-Palestine row that has left Sheeran feeling 'abandoned' by his family.
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that → ban → family
The singer struggled to hold back tears on stage last night as he apologised to fans for his handling of the controversy that has threatened to wreck his tour.
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that → struggle → tour
He told fans in Philadelphia he wasn't sure if upcoming dates would go ahead amid the backlash and threats of a boycott against the decision to drop opener Macklemore over the rapper's support for Palestine.
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dates → tell → Palestine
Sheeran said he had 'found out who his friends are', adding: 'I cannot hide how I feel... any more.'
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I → say → ?
The singer admitted to making 'mistakes' in his handling of the situation and backtracked on his previous vow not to bring politics to his show as he called the situation in Gaza 'catastrophic and unjustifiable' and Hamas's October 7 attacks 'horrific'.
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attacks → admit → Gaza
A visibly emotional Ed Sheeran teared up on stage last night as he apologised for his handling of the Israel controversy that has engulfed his new tour
Ed Sheeran has made his stance clear on the Israel-Palestine conflict after his Loop Tour fell apart amid Macklemore's 'Free Palestine' comments
It comes as the concert was swarmed by pro-Palestine protestors before he took the stage
In his first stage appearance since the Loop tour was plunged into turmoil, the 35-year-old father of two said he 'never wanted to be an activist musician' but the fierce criticism meant he has had to 'take and make difficult decisions'.
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he → tear → decisions
He said: 'I really didn't know whether this tour would be carrying on.
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tour → say → ?
In these situations, you really find out who your friends are and it's been a weird week.
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it → find → situations
I just feel like it happened very quickly.
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it → feel → ?
In the back of my mind, I saw the ticket sales for this gig and I didn't see cancellations, I saw people buying tickets for this gig.
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people → see → gig
'Everyone's telling me to cancel and I'm feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandon me.
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I → tell → me
I look at the end of the week and I see 50,000 people who haven't abandoned me.
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who → look → me
People will say what they want, but I am doing this for you.
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I → say → you
I love you.
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I → love → you
I love this.'
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I → love → this
Sheeran said his heart had been broken 'by the scale of devastation and loss of lives' and became emotional as he told a cheering crowd: 'I'm so grateful you are here with me tonight.'
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you → say → me
He apologised and became visibly emotional again at the end of the show for bringing politics to his concert – something he had vowed not to do.
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he → apologise → concert
Sheeran said at the end of the night: 'The one thing that I would like to apologise for is the first bit of the show where it wasn't about music and I had to talk.
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I → say → music
Sheeran returned to the stage in Philadelphia on Saturday night for the first time since 43-year-old Macklemore, real name Benjamin Haggerty, was axed from the tour (pictured together in 2013)
'
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Macklemore → return → 2013
I understand that people have children here and I understand that families didn't buy a ticket to hear that first bit of the show, but that was something I felt like I needed to say.'
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I → understand → show
Sheeran had previously said that 'those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum'.
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who → say → forum
The gig at the Lincoln Financial Field marked the first time the star returned to the stage since the rapper Macklemore was dropped as his opening act after taking a vocal stance in favour of a 'Free Palestine'.
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rapper → mark → Palestine
In a solemn speech at the start of the concert, Sheeran said: 'I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music and shows to be about unity and not division, about humanity and not politics.
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music → say → humanity
But this is a humanitarian issue and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.
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I → hide → it
'What happened in Israel at Nova music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain.
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happened → happen → pain
'What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate,' Sheeran said in a video captured and shared online by a concertgoer.
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Sheeran → happen → concertgoer
'My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, of children's lives, and the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked,' he declared.
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he → break → Bank
Sheeran told the audience that he plans to 'continue my current tour' despite each of his openers dropping out in solidarity with Macklemore.
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each → tell → Macklemore
Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother, pulled out of his scheduled appearances in upcoming tour dates, stating that 'artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed'
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they → pull → oppressed
Activists demanded freedom for Palestine as they gathered outside of Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night
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they → demand → night
By the end of the show, Sheeran broke down into tears, telling fans: 'I'm so grateful.
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I → break → fans
This gives hope.
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This → give → hope
This gives hope.'
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This → give → hope
The crowd broke out in applause as Sheeran appeared deeply moved.
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Sheeran → break → applause
'My shows are about this,' he said.
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he → say → this
'They are about people coming together that don't know each other, that have different beliefs.
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that → come → beliefs
As fans cheered, Sheeran vowed that the controversy would not stop him from performing.
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controversy → cheer → him
…and 26 more, not listed.
The Aporia
