All the actors, musicians and celebrities taking sides in Ed Sheeran, Macklemore saga

The fallout over Ed Sheeran dropping Macklemore from his Loop Tour just keeps growing and now musicians all over the world are taking sides, from Australian singer Guy Sebastian, to musician Boy George.

Some have criticised Sheeran for bending to the demands of billionaire stadium owners, others have sympathised with the singer for being put in “impossible situation”.

Pop icon Boy George – who has drawn media attention for backing Israel – recently came to Ed Sheeran’s defence online, though his eagerness led him to fall for two separate internet hoaxes.

First, George enthusiastically shared a spoof tweet claiming Israeli Eurovision winner Netta would join Sheeran’s tour.

Shortly after, he fell for recirculated 2022 footage presented as a current video of Sheeran playing solo following rumoured band and opener walkouts, posting praise for the singer’s solo effort.

“Well done to @edsheeran for going on stage with his guitar and proving that he can perform solo,” he wrote.

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George then took aim at Paloma Faith over a recent TV interview about the conflict, mocking her statement that she whispers “Free Palestine” to her children at bedtime and labelling the media commentary around the issue increasingly foolish.

Hacks star Hannah Einbinder lashed Sheeran in a fiery Instagram Story just hours after she attended the 2026 Emmys.

“Ed Sheeran, I say this as a ginger. I hope you get a REALLY bad sunburn, the kind on the back of your entire body where it hurts to lie down or walk or sit,” she wrote.

Other stars including Lewis Hamilton, Zara Larsson, Greta Thunberg and Wicked actress Marissa Bode have also spoken up.

While the backlash against Sheeran has been swift, several – including the supporting acts who withdrew from the Loop Tour in protest – stepped up to defend Sheeran personally.

“Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life,” Aaron Rowe shared.

While backing band Beoga added: “We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be,” stressing that their exit was aimed at venue owners and promoters rather than Sheeran himself.

Not everyone is drawing the separation. Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters, 83, publicly lashed Sheeran in an Instagram video where he called the Shape Of You singer a “little prick”.

“I just have a little message for [Sheeran],” Waters said in the short clip, which opened on a red screen emblazoned with the words “Ed who?“.

“There are two kinds of people in this world. There’s people who do the right thing, the rapper Macklemore would be one of those people.

“And there’s people, many of them, sadly, little f– excuse me, I nearly used the F-word then – pricks like you who do the wrong thing. Goodbye.”

Waters has been a vocal supporter of Palestine for nearly 20 years.

Why Macklemore was kicked off Ed Sheeran’s tour

The saga started on September 5, when Macklemore called to “Free Palestine” on stage while opening for Sheeran in New Jersey, USA.

“To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it in no way is criticism of you,” he told the crowd.

“This message is for peace, love, for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”

Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, allegedly took issue with Macklemore’s comments and started a pressure campaign to have him removed from the tour before Sheeran was scheduled to play at his venue.

Macklemore was then kicked off the tour.

“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” the rapper said in a statement on September 15.

“Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively gave him an ultimatum: ‘If Macklemore stays on tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.’”

Sheeran released his own social media statement the following day in which he claimed removing Macklemore from the tour was the promoter’s decision, not his.

He said he had “personal views on [the] devastating conflict” in Palestine but that he chose not to share them publicly.

Though PR experts told nine.com.au this neutral stance will help Sheeran weather the scandal, a number of other artists and celebrities aren’t happy with it.

Celebrities weigh in on Sheeran/Macklemore saga

All of Sheeran’s support acts dropped out of his Loop Tour in solidarity with Macklemore after the rapper was removed.

Finneas (aka Billie Eillish’s brother), Danish pop band Lukas Graham and Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga stood with Macklemore, as have many other stars.

Myles Smith, who has already completed his run of shows as Sheeran’s support act, spoke out in an Instagram post where he decried the bombing of Palestinians but said Sheeran was not the problem.

“It’s simple: Ed is not the victim here. Palestinians are. But let’s not get confused: Ed is also not the perpetrator,” he wrote.

“I need to be very clear about Ed. He is my friend… 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.”

Guy Sebastian replied to the post, wrtiting: “THIS Is how you do it.”

Aussie radio personality Ash London wrote “Amen” to children’s entertainer Ms Rachel, who labelled it “racist” to treat “some children’s lives as less worthy of outrage”.

All-female Irish folk band BIIRD took to social media to support Macklemore, while activist Greta Thunberg voiced her support in the rapper’s comments section.

Some stars have backed Sheeran, like Boy George and Pink, the latter of whom hit out at Macklemore and claimed he was spreading “anti-Israel propaganda”.

Controversial political figure Tommy Robinson also backed Sheeran, writing on X: “I support@edsheeran, f--k Palestine. Barrassin [embarrassing] all I’m seeing on socials from middle class brats who live in suburbia.”