British singer Ed Sheeran has refuted recent claims that he performed for wounded Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers and attended a New Year’s Eve party hosted by author J.K. Rowling.
In an Instagram story, Sheeran directly responded to allegations made by British broadcaster India Willoughby, who shared a headline suggesting Sheeran brought joy to IDF soldiers, alongside rumors about his attendance at Rowling’s celebration. Sheeran stated, “Respectfully, India Willoughby and anyone else reporting these stories, neither is true.”
The singer clarified that he spent New Year’s Eve with family and friends, contradicting the claim about his involvement in a party with Rowling. Regarding the alleged performance for IDF soldiers, Sheeran explained that a charity had sourced tickets for his concert in Cyprus last year, which was a large public event attended by a record crowd of 45,000 people. He emphasized that 180 IDF soldiers had been invited to the concert by the Israeli charity OneFamily, but it was a part of a broader, publicly attended event and not a special performance for soldiers.
Sheeran criticized the misleading media coverage, calling the reporting “divisive” and urging journalists to fact-check their information before spreading unverified stories.
In response to Sheeran’s clarification, Willoughby expressed her satisfaction, acknowledging that she had used the term “reportedly” based on media reports at the time. She also mentioned that she had contacted Sheeran for clarification earlier in January but had not received a response.
