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The Ed Sheeran backlash - what happens now? | Sidetracked special

BBC Radio 6 Music

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Annie MacManus and Nick Grimshaw discuss the ongoing news story around Ed Sheeran's tour. This episode was recorded over the course of two days, as events changed drastically in the space of 24 hours.

In a week that saw Ed Sheeran's tour become global news, after Macklemore was dropped as a support act, Annie and Nick discuss the ramifications of the different decisions and events of the past few days. What does this mean for artists, venues and fans? And will it change the way artists and their teams respond to similar situations in the future?

Catch up on their debrief on the other big stories of the week here: Glastonbury tickets, Oasis' tour, and Harr...

#Sidetracked #EdSheeran #Macklemore

00:00 Intro
00:19 Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran's US tour
04:36 Macklemore's response and friendship with Ed
07:31 What will Ed Sheeran do next?
13:12 Ed Sheeran responds
18:26 Support acts begin withdrawing from the tour
23:58 The bigger industry implications

20 Comments

@paulc7798 13 days ago

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

@sindiaperez959 13 days ago

The exaggerated worry for the career of a millionaire while there’s people actively dying is crazy to me. Ed can retire right now and he would be fine. People are dying Kim!

@bourjoism3917 2 weeks ago

It’s just cowardice….

@markmooch 13 days ago

It’s a humanitarian issue, bigger then politics, real children displaced, maimed, killed.

@utubeadrianno 13 days ago

Ed Sheeran ISNT apolitical he did a concert for antibrexit and he was fiercely pro Corbin, he’s done concerts for Ukraine and Grenfell, so he needs to grow a pair

@SamSam-yb3ls 2 weeks ago (edited)

The Beatles wouldn’t play when the US had segregated stadia. Whatever Ed’s politics, he didn’t have to say anything but I do not stand for censorship of artists. He didn’t have to say anything more and he would have had the support of millions, if not billions, because he stood up for freedom of speech, instead he looks like coward and a cuck because a billionaire - a huge supporter of israel - threatened a man worth 400 million that he wouldn’t be allowed to play in his stadium, and colluded with other stadia owners to bar Ed’s tour. instead he bent the knee and artists that haven’t 1/10th of his wealth and privilege showed more integrity and solidarity. The 1% are censoring artists, don’t play in their venues…

@Mclarex 13 days ago

The BBC hounded Gary Lineker off MOTD and is generally hugely complicit in the g-cide.

@Collectedstories-c8p 2 weeks ago

Proud of Aaron Rowe. A proper Irishman!

@ajax4887 13 days ago

No one should feel bad for Ed Sheeran

@peterlawson7623 13 days ago

Oh, no! Famous people having to accept the consequences of their moral emptiness? What a terrible shame.

@nomatrails 2 weeks ago

Real integrity on and off the stage. Much love and respect to you, Macklemore!

@KayDivertida 2 weeks ago

I suppose Pink and Boy George could open for Ed on upcoming dates

@VonnegutRosewater-yi4rk 13 days ago

Because Ed Sheeran worth $400 million couldn't afford to make his crew whole for 2 weeks worth of shows? Rich people are terrible

@brianalmeida1964 13 days ago

Surely if Ed had refused to remove Macklemore, then Kraft and his cronies would have cancelled the show and been liable for the cancellation for insurance purposes and not Ed himself!! Ed folded for the money!!

@TinaBeck-w5r 13 days ago

Slaughtering children is not political! It is a war crime! It is immoral and unjustified.

@derekfurlong730 2 weeks ago

I think Ed is getting what he deserves.

@charliecroker2541 13 days ago

BBC is in the same boat, complicit. Have no sympathy Ed Sheeran.

@hiltonwatkins6750 13 days ago

Well, Ed Kraft just galvanized all those that are tired of seeing the control of freedoms being exercised by certain owners of public venues. This is a turning point towards a dark place in my opinion. Thanks Ed.

@sameesiddiqui6064 13 days ago

He wasn’t “apolitical” when it comes to Ukraine, was he? The issue with Sheeran isn’t just that he was a coward in letting billionaires bully him, but also that he’s selectively “apolitical.”