Ed Sheeran's US tour became caught up in controversy when his support act Macklemore used his performance slots to deliver pro-Palestine speeches. Billionaire businessman Robert Kraft, a Jewish friend of Sheeran's, banned Macklemore from performing at his Gillette Stadium venue, citing hate speech concerns. The dispute escalated when other support acts withdrew in protest, prompting Sheeran to break down during a Philadelphia concert, where he told the crowd he felt abandoned by friends and family over his handling of the situation.

The controversy intensified as other celebrities, including TV chef Nadiya Hussain and Welsh singer Charlotte Church, publicly criticised Sheeran's response to Macklemore's removal. Sheeran, 35, had relocated his wife Cherry Seaborn and daughters Lyra (six) and Jupiter (four) to Nashville to maintain daily contact whilst touring. According to friends quoted in the article, Sheeran expressed doubt about whether the tour would continue and stated he had made mistakes in managing the fallout, with supporters attributing his distress to the situation's severity.