Yahoo Lifestyle Ed Sheeran Just Clarified The “Divisive And Damaging” Reports That He “Brought Joy To Wounded IDF Soldiers”
Ed Sheeran has taken to his social media pages to deny reports he performed for the IDF, and that he attended J.K. Rowling’s New Year’s Eve party.
The singer responded to the speculation after British TV personality and trans rights activist India Willoughby tweeted about it earlier this month.
Taking to her X page, India shared a screenshot of a headline that read: “How Ed Sheeran brought joy to wounded IDF soldiers.”
She added in her tweet: “Ed Sheeran reportedly went to JK Rowling’s New Year’s Eve party, too.”
The UK media first detailed Rowling’s party on New Year’s Day, with the lavish and star-studded bash reportedly being hosted at the controversial author’s home.
India said that reports initially named Ed as one of the celebrity guests at the party; however, his name is not included in the articles at the time of writing. Other stars still listed as attending the event include Daniel Craig and U2.
In recent years, Rowling has become renowned for her anti-trans views, and has been using her huge social media platform to push anti-trans rhetoric since 2020.
Meanwhile, the headline about Ed bringing “joy” to the Israel Defense Forces has been widely shared on social media, with Ed coming under fierce scrutiny as a result.
And the star was eager to clarify both reports as he responded to India’s tweet on Tuesday, sharing a screenshot of the post to his Instagram story alongside a brief statement.
“Respectfully, India Willoughby, and any other journalist who has reported both these stories, neither are true,” he wrote. “I spent new year with my family and friends.”
“The story about wounded soldiers at my show, was a charity that sourced tickets to my show in Cyprus last year, which was a large scale public concert,” Ed added.
“This sort of reporting is devisive [sic] and damaging, please research before you post things,” he concluded.
Ed performed in Larnaca, Cyprus, on Sept. 7th and 8th last year, with the concerts drawing a record-breaking crowd of 45,000 people.
The show was the largest international music event ever held in Cyprus, and tickets were in high demand — reselling for hundreds of euros at the time.
And the Jerusalem Post article that the circulating headline was taken from actually corroborates Ed’s statement, with the author writing that the 180 wounded IDF soldiers and bereaved young adults were taken to the concert by the Israeli charity OneFamily.
India responded to Ed’s statement on X, where she immediately alerted her followers to the misinformation.
“Hi @edsheeran - this is great to hear,” she wrote. “I used the word ‘reportedly’ about JK Rowling’s NYE party, because it was widely reported by UK and international media at the time. I also reached out directly to you in the first wk of Jan via Twitter to ask if the story was correct - but no reply. Delighted to hear you didn’t go!”
She reiterated in a separate tweet: “I’m delighted Ed didn’t go to JKR’s party - the only thing I commented on. I appreciate the bulk of Twitter users now only read the bits they want, but you should read the facts. I said ‘reportedly’ because the type of Right Wing trashy papers most of you love and DO believe DID report it. I also DID reach out to Ed at the time - but no reply. I remain an Ed Sheeran fan.”
Ed Sheeran Has Said That He Did Not Approve His Vocals Being Used On A New Charity Single — And Explained Why He Would Have “Respectfully Declined” If He’d Been AskedStephanie Soteriou · Nov. 18, 2024
Ed Sheeran Revealed Why He Hasn't "Had A Phone Since 2015," And It's One Of The Best Takes I've Heard In A Very Long TimeMychal Thompson · June 8, 2024
Daniel Radcliffe Just Called Out The Notion That He And His “Harry Potter” Costars Are “Ungrateful Brats” For Publicly Opposing J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans RhetoricStephanie Soteriou · May 1, 2024
