Ed Sheeran has apologised to fans for making ‘mistakes’ during an emotional address at his concert in Philadelphia, following weeks of backlash surrounding his ongoing tour.

Opening the show on Saturday with an unexpected speech, the singer addressed the controversy surrounding the removal of American rapper Macklemore from his supporting line-up over pro-Palestinian remarks made on stage.

“This is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it’s okay if I say a few words about this last week,” Sheeran told the crowd.

Sheeran acknowledged that while he was accustomed to criticism of his music, the latest controversy involved a more serious issue.“I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry,” he said.

The singer said he had never intended to become an ‘activist musician’, but found himself at the centre of a wider debate over freedom of speech and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” he said.

He also expressed concern about venues seeking to pre-approve performers’ content, saying he was “deeply worried” about restrictions on artists.

Sheeran reaffirmed his commitment to his audience, describing his shows as ‘a safe space for everyone’.

Addressing the conflict directly, the singer said he had generally avoided political commentary because he wanted his music and performances to promote “unity, not division” and “humanity, not politics”.

However, he said the humanitarian situation had made it impossible for him to remain silent.

Sheeran described the 7 October attacks in Israel and at the Nova music festival as “horrific”, saying they had “compounded centuries of Jewish pain”.

Turning to Gaza, he described the situation as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate”, saying his heart had been broken by the scale of devastation and civilian deaths, including children.

He also said the “systemic injustice” unfolding in the West Bank could not be overlooked.

The singer said he was speaking to people “across the spectrum” to understand the conflict and identify ways to support victims, while acknowledging, “I do not know enough.” 

He ended his remarks by calling for unity among fans with opposing views, saying they did not have to agree on everything but could still “agree on singing these songs”.