POP STAR ED Sheeran admitted he made “mistakes” and condemned the “catastrophic” situation in Gaza as he returned to the stage Saturday for the first time since rapper Macklemore was cancelled as a support act for making pro-Palestine comments on stage.

All of Sheeran’s supporting acts, including Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, pulled out of the Loop tour after Macklemore was removed from the line-up.

Ahead of Saturday’s concert, pro-Palestinian protesters rallied peacefully outside Lincoln Financial Field, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free, free Palestine.” 

Sheeran appeared on stage at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field alone, and opened the show by admitting he had made ‘mistakes’.

“I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so so sorry,” he said.

Ed Sheeran addresses the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from his tour and says, “What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable.”

“Before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s okay if I say a few words about this last week,” Sheeran said at the top of… pic.twitter.com/ZhtujolkKK

— Variety (@Variety) September 20, 2026

Sheeran said he had tried in the past not to be a “political commentator” because he wanted his shows to be about “unity”.

“I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore,” he said.

“What happened in Israel and at the Nova music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain.

“What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives.

“And the systemic injustice we are seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”

Sheeran started his show Saturday night alone on stage, without an opening act.

He later brought on five musicians who he said had learned his songs in three days, thanking them for joining him “in a week when no one wants to stand on stage with me.”

The singer said he “didn’t know whether this tour would be carrying on”.

“I really didn’t know whether I’d be even getting on stage again, whether I even wanted to be an artist at all,” he added.

With additional reporting from wire services.