Ed Sheeran tour updates as Robert Kraft responds to Macklemore backlash

Ed Sheeran tour updates as Robert Kraft responds to Macklemore backlash Ed Sheeran's LOOP tour is in chaos after every single one of his support acts has withdrawn from the line-up in solidarity with Macklemore, who was dropped for his Free Palestine comments Ed Sheeran's LOOP tour has been plunged into chaos after all of his support acts have quit. The artists made the move in solidarity with singer Macklemore, who was dropped by tour promoters after sharing a "Free Palestine" message on stage. While Ed has said the decision to remove Macklemore was not his, concerns have been raised about his remaining concert dates. Ed said: "I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living." Now, Macklemore has confirmed on social media that his entire earnings, $1million will be donated to six organisations working to support Palestinian people. Meanwhile, Ed's remaining support acts, Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Lukas Graham, and Billie Eilish's brother, Finneas, have all since issued statements. Now, Ed is facing calls from fellow musicians to cancel the remaining dates on the LOOP Tour across North and South America. However, celebrity publicist Carla Speight has argued that Ed should "absolutely" not cancel his dates. Speaking of Billy Bragg's plea to Ed, she told the Mirror: "It's also ridiculous for Billy to suggest that Ed has such sway with a promoter in terms of who he’s working with or where they perform. At most, the promoter will have given him a list of potentials who are available, for him to approve, with the hope the promoter has done their due diligence. Macklemore’s performative stunt on stage was a potential, but given that he’s performing to an audience full of children, it was probably deemed unlikely to happen, and he was told not to do it. But instead, Macklemore persisted and achieved no real difference for the free Palestine movement, nor did he do anything to make the Jewish community feel safe either. Instead, his move pushed a lot of hard-working people to potentially lose out on their hard-earned wages. "If every performer followed Billy’s advice, the industry would collapse, because venues have a right to choose what they want to be performed on their stages. You can boycott for future tours, but not in the middle because the impact on the team and the fans is too great." Find out the latest from the fallout as it continues... Key Events Ed loses 150k Instagram followers The damage continues for Ed Sheeran amid the Macklemore fallout. Days on from the decision to drop the American musician as a support act on his Loop Tour, the fallout shows no sign of slowing down. And it's said to have cost Ed 150,000 Instagram following. On the flipside, Macklemore's user count has sky rocketed by more than 750,000 folllowers. Ed warned of 'significant challenge' PR expert Jon Corbett, of Northside Creative told the Mirror: "From a PR perspective, this is a significant challenge for Ed, particularly because the story has moved beyond one artist being removed from a tour to several other musicians withdrawing in solidarity. "Ed has explained that the decision wasn't his and that he tried to find a resolution, which is an important distinction. However, as the headline artist, his name is inevitably attached to everything that happens around the tour. "The reputational challenge is that audiences don't always distinguish between the artist, the promoter and the venues. When several musicians publicly withdraw, it also changes the narrative from an isolated disagreement into a much wider conversation about artistic freedom. "Ed has built an enormous career and a loyal global audience. One controversy doesn't automatically undo that, but how he handles the coming days will be important in determining whether this remains a short-term crisis or has a longer-lasting impact on his reputation." Classic Hits Radio removes Ed Sheeran music from playlist After listening to feedback, Classic Hits Radio has confirmed that, from Thursday, 17 September, music by Ed Sheeran will be removed from the station’s playlist for the foreseeable future. Dave Kelly, Group Programme Director at Bay Broadcasting, said: “Radio has always been about more than the music we play. It is about the communities we serve, listening to our audience and recognising the conversations that matter to them. “We have listened carefully to the reaction from our listeners over recent days. We also respect the decision taken by Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga to step away from the tour on an issue about which they clearly feel very strongly. “Our decision to remove Ed Sheeran’s music from the Classic Hits Radio playlist has been carefully considered. It is not intended as a personal judgement on Ed Sheeran, and we acknowledge his own explanation of the circumstances surrounding recent events. “As an independent Irish-owned radio station, however, we believe it is important to listen to our audience and to stand alongside Irish artists who have made what is undoubtedly a significant professional decision based on their own convictions. “Ultimately, our position is a simple one. We believe in peace, humanity and respect, and in the right of people and artists to express and act upon their sincerely held views. In light of the strength of feeling expressed by our listeners and the decisions taken by Irish artists involved in the tour, we believe removing Ed Sheeran’s music from our playlist is the appropriate decision for Classic Hits Radio at this time.” Robert Kraft speaks out In a statement provided to NBC News, Robert Kraft has said the decision on his venues was reached following Macklemore's comments and "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community". He said: "This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real." PR expert warns Ed PR expert Jon Corbett has warned Ed Sheeran he must "prioritise fans" as the musician tries to navigate the Macklemore fallout. The Managing Director of Northshide Creative told the Mirror: "My first piece of advice would be to get everyone involved around the table, establish exactly where things stand and make sure the artist, management, promoter and venues are communicating consistently. "There's a practical issue here as well as a reputational one. Fans have bought tickets expecting a particular line-up, and the departure of multiple artists creates questions about what those audiences are now going to see. "Ed needs to prioritise those fans, communicate any changes clearly and make sure the people working on the tour are properly supported. "From a communications perspective, I would avoid getting drawn into a prolonged back-and-forth on social media. If there's something meaningful to clarify, say it clearly and directly. "Ultimately, the priority should be resolving the immediate touring issues, treating the departing musicians respectfully and making sure that any further public statements are backed up by what actually happens behind the scenes." Protests set to take place outside Ed's shows A prominent Pro-Palestine group in Philly announced a protest outside Ed's show this weekend, TMZ has learned. The group, Philly Palestine Coalition, and another organization named Shut Down D&Z are urging people to come show support for their cause on September 19 outside the Lincoln Financial Center. “Billionaires, Zionists & Warmongers out of Philly” the group states, in a flyer for the event. Should Ed Sheeran quit the rest of his tour? - Paloma Faith reacts Ed has spent this week trying to 'build bridges' In his statement released yesterday Ed said: "I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too." Fans react to Macklemore's $1m donation After speaking out on Instagram some of Macklemore's followers took to the comments to express their thoughts. One wrote: "May your endless generosity be returned to you 100 fold," another commented: "You are an absolute legend and class act. Thank you." A third wrote: "Leading by example. Empathy over profits." Singer Paloma Faith also commented on the post, saying "Thank you for being the GOAT." Macklemore donates $1m earnings from tour to Palestinian support groups Macklemore has donated his earnings, a whole $1,000,000, to Palestinian support groups. Taking to social media, the musician said: "With everything that has happened over the last 48hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs; to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom. "I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour to six organisations working directly to support the Palestinian people." Has Ed been vocal about other issues? While Sheeran has not been as politically vocal as many fellow artists, he has expressed support for some causes in the past. He performed at the Concert for Ukraine in 2022, which raised money for Ukrainians affected by the Russian invasion, and collaborated with a Ukrainian band on a charity single. He has also campaigned against racism in the U.K. and criticised his country's government for cutting arts funding. EXCLUSIVE: 'Ed should absolutely not be cancelling this tour' While there have been calls for Ed to cancel the remaining dates on his LOOP Tour, celebrity PR expert Carla Speight has argued that he should continue with his performances, insisting he should "absolutely not" cancel the shows. Speaking to the Mirror, Carla said: "He’s personally not responsible for Macklemore’s departure; he has explained how he tried to prevent it from happening. However, each venue has the right to choose who they put on stage. If a person has a politically charged background, it is for the booker of the venue and promoters to look at the safety for their shows going forward and make a responsible decision. Regardless of what side people sit on, everyone can agree that this is a highly emotive topic and with that come threats of all sorts of attacks. With families in his audience, Ed’s promoters and venue owners have to put their safety first." Reflecting on musician Billy Bragg, encouraging Ed to cancel his shows, Carla added: "Billy Bragg of all people should know what the cost to the team behind Ed’s tour will be if he cancels. It’s irresponsible for Billy to suggest that Ed should cancel when so many rely on the income that will bring in to keep their bills paid. "It seems to me that Billy has forgotten that it takes more than one bloke, his guitar and a mic to put on an arena tour. This isn’t as simple as ’stick it to the man’ when Ed himself has stayed strong in refusing to share his opinion as he feels it is not his place to ostracise any of his fans, let alone make them feel unwelcome or unsafe. The reality is, Ed Sheeran cancelling a tour won’t stop the war, and Billy knows this. The only thing that will happen is that hundreds of people won’t get paid in full for working on this tour, huge local economic benefits will be lost, and fans who have waited to see Ed perform will be disappointed." When is Ed next performing? Ed is currently taking a few days off from touring. He's due to take to the stage at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on September 19. His next performance after that will be at Gillette Stadium on September 25. Fans of Ed 'question' musician Despite unwavering support from his dedicated fanbase, some have questioned Ed. One said on social media: "Think most people don't want to see Ed fail. But that doesn't mean he hasn't missed the mark here in a significant way that every one of us can learn from. The wisdom against neutrality is ancient. And he can still learn better from this. And it's more than wanting that for a person like Ed, Ed is currently the stand-in for a lesson many, many people still could learn from." Another penned: "I love Ed Sheeran and his music. And I was so looking forward to attending his show at Gillette Stadium. I have decided to boycott the event because he needs to use his voice to support Macklemore. He needs to say words publicly to indicate that he doesn't support genocide. And he needs to cancel the rest of the tour. I love Ed truly, but can no longer support him. And I'm devastated over this." Israel has repeatedly denied all allegations of genocide, claiming any military acts are an act of self-defence against Hamas. Ed Sheeran fans vow to support star amid controversy Ed Sheeran's fans have been out in force – and vowed to continue supporting him. The musician is facing chaos after all four remaining support acts for the rest of his North and South American dates on his LOOP Tour withdrew from the line-up. Ed's pal, Myles Smith penned a statement on Instagram, stating that Ed "is not the victim", adding: "But let's not get confused: Ed is also not the perpetrator. "I need to be very clear about Ed. He is my friend. Not an industry friend. A real one. And there is no pressure, no trend, no headline and no comment section that will make me turn on him or hang him out to dry." Many fans of the musician rushed to offer their support to the Galway Girl hitmaker. One said: "I stand by you and I stand by Ed. He has done nothing wrong. The people condemning him have no idea what has gone on behind the scenes and even if they did they would likely still need to throw stones at him because that is easier than accepting what has happened was not his doing. Is anyone blaming the venue owners or promoters?" While another went on to write: "Thank you for defending Ed. People are blaming him for this situation when he has done more for the world than they ever will." A third commented: "The treatment of Ed Sheeran is absolutely disgusting. He has a right to keep his concerts non-political without being ostracised by people on the left. Ed Sheeran is a good decent man. One of the most sincere musicians around today. The world has gone crazy." 'Ed should cancel tour,' says Billy Bragg Activist Billy Bragg has said that Ed should cancel the remaining dates on his Loop Tour. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World at One Programme, Bragg, known for his socially conscious songwriting, went on to say that Macklemore shouldn't have been booked if Ed wanted to avoid politics. He said: "Ed Sheeran should cancel his tour and say that billionaire owners of football stadiums in the United States of America shouldn't be allowed to say what people can and can't say on stage." Billy continued: "If he doesn't expect for there to be political speech on stage, he shouldn't book someone like Macklemore. Macklemore has been speaking out about Palestine and the war in Gaza for at least a year." The musician went on to say that the drama surrounding Macklemore has given his viewers a bigger platform. "By speaking up and by getting Macklemore thrown off the tour, he's now allowed for millions and millions of people to hear Macklemore's message," he added. Fans question TicketMaster Fans are questioning whether they will get a refund from TicketMaster for tickets bought while Ed Sheeran's support acts were still planning to perform. Some are stating they were more interested in seeing the support acts over the main show and are now calling for their money back... Richard Bacon supports Ed Sheeran The presenter backed his pal in a comment on X, formerly known as Twitter. Richard wrote: "Anyone who’s met Ed Sheeran even for five minutes knows he’s a good person with a good heart." But the comment was met with a mixed response. Sheeran's followed count plummets Ed Sheeran may be losing more than support acts. It appears the star has lost 200k followers on Instagram since the debacle kicked off! Finneas says artists 'must not be silenced' Finneas had the support of Macklemore and Greta Thunburg with his statement as he pulled himself off Ed Sheeran's Loop tour. He said on Instagram: "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. "I stand with Palestine and its people - Finneas." Lukas Graham's statement is praised On Instagram, Lukas Graham revealed reasons for leaving the Loop Tour, writing: "It's hard to watch families in other parts of the world burying the people they love. "We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them. "I grew up in Christiania, a small community in Denmark where speaking your mind was part of everyday life. Having more money didn't make your opinion worth more than anyone else's. "Money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge. I love Ed, and i'm grateful for everything we've shared. That hasn't changed. But I can't put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand. We're withdrawing from the remaining dates. I"'m sorry we won't be there. This is a difficult decision, but it's one I need to stand by." The comments were praised by the likes of Irish band Kneecap. What Sheeran's house band Beoga have said The band took to their Instagram to share a statement. They said: "We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. "We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people … We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be." Ed Sheeran impersonator issues statement An Ed Sheeran impersonator has had his say - and has stuck up for the singer. Taking to his channel Ty Jones, he said you should not be bringing politics into somewhere where people are "coming to have a good time". He went as far as labelling it like "brainwashing". Roger Waters has scathing words Roger Waters has launched a scathing attack on Ed Sheeran following the Macklemore saga. The Pink Floyd co-founder made his thoughts clear on a social media clip titled Ed Who?.. He raged: "I just have a little message for you. There are two kinds of people in this world. Some people do the right thing. That rapper, Macklemore, would be one of those people. "And there are people who are p*****, like you, who do the wrong thing. Goodbye." Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy speaks out Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told LBC: “I really feel Ed Sheeran in all of this, actually, because you know he's got support acts who he wants to profile and platform. He's got promoters saying that they won't when politics is being introduced to the stadium. "I think he's been left in a really difficult and impossible position. I hope it doesn't harm his tour. He's one of our most successful artists, and also one of the nicest people I've ever worked with; does huge amounts in Ipswich to reinvest in the community and give young people opportunities. And so I have enormous sympathy for the position that he finds himself in.”Asked how to balance politics and entertainment, she said: “There is a long and very proud history of artists commenting on on politics, not just through through the sort of means that Ed Sheeran support acts have been using, but also creating art that comments on politics and on society, and I think that is an important and proud tradition. But I do also think, for a lot of people, life is pretty tough. The world is quite a difficult place at the moment, and I think a lot of people do also quite like to have a space where they can go, where they can leave all of that aside, and so I do understand that for a lot of people they just want to leave politics aside for a bit and be able to to enjoy the music.” When is Ed's next tour date Ed Sheeran’s next performance is scheduled for September 19 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where Graham and Rowe were planned to open for him. He has 17 dates still left on the tour across North and South America, with the final show scheduled for December 11 in Mexico City. The Loop Tour is Ed's sixth major concert tour, launched in support of his eighth studio album Play. The tour began in Auckland, New Zealand in January 2026 and is currently moving through north America. Macklemore responds to support acts dropping out in solidarity Macklemore has responded after Ed's other support acts issued statements explaining their decisions to quit the tour. In their post, Irish band Beoga said: “We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran’s band on the remaining US Loop tour, following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies.” The band added: “As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.” Finneas, who is the brother of pop star Billie Eilish, said: “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.” Macklemore commented on each of the posts with a love heart emoji and the Palestinian flag. Irish support act Aaron Rowe blasts billionaires silencing 'rightful voices' Irish singer Aaron Rowe, who is one of the support acts to stand down, said on Instagram he did not take the decision to quit the tour “lightly”, adding Sheeran “has been a friend to me and has changed my life”. Rowe said: “I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children. “I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal. “I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.” Ed Sheeran left in "difficult and impossible position" Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she had “enormous sympathy” for Ed Sheeran after his support acts and backing band pulled out of his world tour in reaction to rapper Macklemore being removed because of his comments about Gaza.She told LBC: “I really feel for Ed Sheeran in all of this, actually, because you know he’s got support acts who he wants to profile and platform.“He’s got promoters saying that they won’t when politics is being introduced to the stadium. I think he’s been left in a really difficult and impossible position. “I hope it doesn’t harm his tour. He’s one of our most successful artists and also one of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with … I have enormous sympathy for the position that he finds himself in.”However, she said she understood the desire of some concert-goers to leave politics aside. “The world is quite a difficult place at the moment, and I think a lot of people do also quite like to have a space where they can go, where they can leave all of that aside.“And so I do understand that for a lot of people, they just want to leave politics aside for a bit and be able to to enjoy the music,” she said. Which support acts have stood by Macklemore Following the fallout, all support acts on Ed's Loop Tour pulled out in solidarity with Macklemore. Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Lukas Graham, and Finneas have all issued statements, confirming they have withdrawn from the tour. Rowe and Lukas Graham would have been replacements for Macklemore on Sheeran’s remaining U.S. dates, while Beoga was serving as Sheeran’s touring band. Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator, was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year.