Ed Sheeran has announced three homecoming concerts at his beloved Ipswich Town FC’s home stadium.
After announcing his new album, ‘Play’, will be released on September 12, the ‘Thinking Out Loud’ hitmaker has revealed he will play three dates at Portman Road on July 11, 12 and 13.
The Grammy winner will be joined by special guests Myles Smith, Busted, James Blunt, Tori Kelly, Maisie Peters and Dylan.
Fans who pre-order ‘Play’ via Ed’s official store will gain access to an exclusive pre-sale from 9am on May 7, while general sale kicking off on May 8 at 10am.
‘Play’ was written as a “direct response” to the “darkest period” of his life and is a “real rollercoaster of emotions”.
In a post on Instagram, Ed explained: “‘Play’ was an album that was made as a direct response to the darkest period of my life. Coming out of all of that I just wanted to create joy and technicolour, and explore cultures in the countries I was touring.
“I made this record all over the world, finished it in Goa, India, and had some of the most fun, explorative creative days of my life. It’s a real rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, it encapsulates everything that I love about music, and the fun in it, but also where I am in life as a human, a partner, a father.”
He added: “Going into this album campaign I said to myself ‘I just want everything I do to be fun and playful’ – so that’s why we are building pubs for folk jams, doing gigs on open top busses and singing in pink cowboy hats on bars.
“The older I get the more I just want to enjoy things, and savour the moments that are mad and chaotic. You can preorder play now, many many more playful things to come before it’s out. [New single] ‘Old Phone’ also out today, go listen.”
Ed previously admitted he suffered dark times after his pal Jamal Edwards died in 2022 while the singer’s wife Cherry was diagnosed with a tumour while pregnant with their second child.
He also missed his grandmother’s funeral due to a court hearing over one of the lawsuits he was subjected to after being accused of plagiarism.
So far, fans have heard the singles ‘Azizam’ and ‘Old Phone’.