Ed Sheeran Has COVID-19, Makes Major Shift to His Upcoming Plans
Ed Sheeran has tested positive for COVID-19. On Sunday, the singer shared the announcement via Instagram. Because of his diagnosis, he is making changes regarding his upcoming commitments.
Sheeran began his message by saying that he tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently "self-isolating and following government guidelines." He went on to share that his diagnosis means that he will not be able to "plough ahead with any in person commitments for now." Sheeran will still be engaging in various interviews and performances, but they will only be conducted or performed from his home for the time being. The singer ended his message by writing, "Apologies to anyone I've let down. Be safe everyone."
TMZ noted that Sheeran has quite a few commitments in the works as his new album, =, is set to be released on Oc.t 29. One of those commitments was only recently announced by Saturday Night Live. On Saturday's show, which was hosted by former cast member Jason Sudeikis, the NBC series announced that Sheeran would be the musical guest for the Nov. 6 episode hosted by Succession star Kieran Culkin. While that date is less than two weeks away, it's unclear whether Sheeran will be well enough to take part in the episode.
Sheeran was also due to be a musical mentor on this week's episodes of The Voice. His segment has reportedly been filmed in advance. But it's unclear whether he was due to make an in-person appearance on the show as well. If he was due to appear in person on The Voice, that appearance will likely not go forward as originally planned, although Sheeran did mention that he would be trying to do any of his commitments virtually. So it's possible that he could appear on The Voice over Zoom.
Sheeran announced that he would be releasing his newest album, =, back in August. At the time, he announced that it would be released on Oct. 29. According to Billboard, the "Shape of You" singer said that the album is "a really personal record and one that means a lot to me." He added, "My life changed greatly over the past few years — I got married, became a father, experienced loss, and I reflect on these topics over the course of the album. I see it as my coming-of-age record, and I can't wait to share this next chapter with you."