Saturday Night Live UK targeted Ed Sheeran this weekend for his 'fence-sitting' on recent events, with a segment that drew sharp reactions from viewers on X. The 35-year-old singer has faced criticism for his lukewarm response to rapper Macklemore being cut from his Loop tour.
Macklemore's Removal and Sheeran's Silence
Macklemore, 43, was removed from Sheeran's tour after opening at a New Jersey concert in early September. During that performance, he told the crowd, 'A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so that I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: Free Palestine.' He later described the ongoing situation as a 'genocide,' drawing criticism from pop star Pink, among others.
In the ensuing controversy, Sheeran has been criticized for his cautious stance, failing to back up Macklemore after promoter Messina Touring Group cut him from the line-up. The furore continues, with a radio boycott and other acts, including Sheeran's own backing band, pulling out in solidarity with Macklemore.
SNL UK's Brutal Skewering
SNL UK weighed in with a segment presented by Ania Magliano. 'This week, the Israel/Palestine conflict just got serious,' she began. 'Will Sheeran have to cancel the tour?' she asked. 'There's a very real risk that he won't.' She added, 'Genuinely though, this crisis is the worst thing that has happened to Ed Sheeran fans since their head injury.'
Magliano explained how Macklemore had reportedly been dropped at the behest of billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft, referencing a recent interview in which he said he'd dedicated most of his life to 'building bridges.' 'It's going to break your heart when you find out who's bombing those,' she finished. Co-host Paddy Young then joked about how Jeffrey Epstein had 'himself killed' rather than be associated with Kraft's 2019 solicitation case.
'To his credit, Sheeran – seen here looking at both sides of the issue – has been a long-standing supporter of Ukraine,' Young continued, taking a potshot at the singer's lazy eye. 'Say what you will about Ed, but he's always been a passionate advocate of causes that are allowed,' he finished.
Sheeran's Response and Macklemore's Statement
The episode also featured an appearance from Sheeran himself, played by Annabel Marlow in its cold open. 'I was just outside sitting on the fence,' said Marlow's Sheeran as he addressed King Charles III and an AI version of the late Princess Diana. 'Thing is, Your Majesty, I don't like to take sides. I don't want to alienate any of my fans, humans or robots. A lot of my tickets are bought by scalping bots. You know, sometimes, when it comes to conflicts, the bravest thing you can do is to say nothing at all.'
As the episode aired, viewers took to X to register their shock at the brutal double beat-down. DannyDeraney described it as 'incredible,' while StellarAvenger hailed the UK spin-off as 'the cooler SNL.' 'Sad that nothing in the US would dare to be this cutting,' remarked jazzcupboard, while UpStartRadio called it 'spicy, like the original SNL used to be.' 'Holy s**t they got the assignment right with Ed Sheeran,' said Loopluwu. 'They've absolutely nailed it,' wrote jake17watson, while BeckyTheStan credited the show for having 'dragged Ed Sheeran so hard.' 'That both sides joke was f*****g brutal along with ed sheeran fans having head injuries,' remarked iamlokiodinson.
That same night, Sheeran himself took to the stage in Philadelphia, where he issued a tearful response. '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 said as he addressed the crowd. 'In these situations, you really find out who your friends are, and it's been a weird week. I just feel like it happened very quickly.'
He continued: '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,' he said, adding how 'deeply worried' he was that venues would start to 'pre-approve' artists and their content.
Last week, Macklemore issued a statement via social media in which he reiterated that the 'victims' are 'the Palestinian people' and he 'didn't want to lose sight of that'. Describing Sheeran as a 'friend,' but acknowledging their 'painful disagreement,' Macklemore claimed that Kraft had 'rallied some of the other stadium owners' and issued Sheeran with an ultimatum: 'If Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues. Ed was in a f**ked up position. He knew it. His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had been before.'
He continued: 'I hope this isn't the end of my relationship with Ed. Thirteen years of friendship doesn't disappear because of one painful disagreement.' Adding that his door 'will always be open to continuing that conversation', he finished: 'I didn't need 10 shows from Ed. I needed two. Two chances to stand in from of 90,000 people and say words that somehow became too dangerous to say. Free Palestine. But if those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I've ever been on.'
Saturday Night Live UK returns to Sky One and streaming service NOW TV on Saturday, September 26.
