Ed Sheeran appeared to address his increasingly public family feud with cousin Jethro Sheeran. During a concert in Atlanta, the singer brought up an estranged relative. He also revealed how long they had apparently been out of contact. The remarks followed Jethro’s repeated attacks on the “Shape of You” singer. Their dispute also became linked to the wider Macklemore fallout surrounding Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
Ed Sheeran says he “hasn’t spoken” to cousin amid public attacks
During his Oct. 3 Atlanta concert, Ed Sheeran told the crowd about an old phone he had recently found. He said he had stopped using the device around a decade ago. While checking its notifications, he found messages from people who were no longer in his life.
“The other text messages were, like, from a family member who I haven’t spoken to in a very long time,” Sheeran said in a video shared on Instagram.
He then appeared to reference the relative’s recent online activity. “You might have seen [my relative] recently on social media,” he added.
Sheeran did not name the family member onstage. However, his comments came shortly after his estranged cousin, Jethro, publicly criticized him.
According to The Blast, Jethro had made several claims about their relationship. His comments emerged alongside the controversy over Macklemore’s removal from Sheeran’s U.S. tour.
Jethro previously called his cousin “selfish” and a “coward.” He also claimed they once had a much closer relationship. Additionally, Jethro alleged that he introduced Sheeran to recording studios and live performances before his rise to fame.
The Macklemore fallout pushed the family tension further into public view. Jethro criticized Sheeran after Macklemore was dropped from several Loop Tour dates following his comments about Palestine.
Sheeran maintained that the promoter made the decision to remove Macklemore. Jethro, meanwhile, publicly disputed that explanation.
Sheeran’s brief Atlanta remark suggested that the tension between the cousins may have started long before the current tour controversy.
