Ed Sheeran continues to face online backlash after revealing that he changed his concert stage because he was worried fans might throw things at him. The singer made the admission during his 19 September performance in Philadelphia, as he addressed the issue surrounding his tour and the removal of Macklemore from its remaining US dates.
Sheeran's comments quickly spread online, with critics questioning his decision to highlight his concerns about the crowd while the wider controversy has focused on the Israel-Gaza war and Macklemore's outspoken support for Palestinians. The singer has also spoken about the conflict from the stage, calling the situation in Gaza 'catastrophic and unjustifiable'.
Ed Sheeran Changes the Stage Setup
Sheeran explained to the Philadelphia audience that he normally performs part of his show from a smaller B-stage positioned closer to the crowd. This time, however, he decided to scrap that section because he was unsure how the audience would react.
'I didn't know if I would have things thrown at me. I didn't know if people would be angry at me... Today is not the usual Loop show,' he told fans. The singer then explained: 'I took the B stage out because I was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle. And I will admit that.'
The decision came during an especially tense period for his Loop Tour. Macklemore had been dropped from the remaining US dates after his pro-Palestinian comments sparked controversy, while several other artists subsequently pulled out of the tour.
Ed Sheeran says he removed his second stage from his recent show because he was “afraid of what might happen”:
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 20, 2026
“I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me, I didn’t know if people would be angry at me” pic.twitter.com/Kt5Ghl4Gqr
Critics Accuse Him of Playing Victim
Instead of calming the controversy, Sheeran's comments about the B-stage gave online critics another reason to pile on. On X, users accuse the singer of 'acting like a victim', with one post sharing a meme bearing that caption.
One commenter seemed to mock the singer, writing: 'People are dying from bombs but poor Ed has trauma from all of this what if someone throws a tomato at him.' On a more serious note, one critic asked: 'What about the children in Gaza who have bombs thrown at them everyday?'
Others took aim at Sheeran's celebrity status. One commenter described him as a 'multi-millionaire pop star' worrying about stage arrangements while people faced 'real-world tragedies'. Another joked that the singer was 'traumatised by concert crowd vibes'.
Him literally after everything he pulled. pic.twitter.com/GuunpLauNr
— 𝒂 (@coxrab) September 20, 2026
Genocides going on, but somehow a white male artist playing in the biggest stadiums making millions has found a way to make himself a victim in this situation unfuckingbelievable
— Elena ﾒ𝟶⸆⸉ (@Elena_Walkerr) September 20, 2026
Singer Addresses Macklemore Exit
The stage change came after Sheeran also addressed the controversy over Macklemore's removal from the tour.
Sheeran said the decision was made by the promoter, and not by him personally. He explained that venues had indicated they would not host the shows if Macklemore remained on the bill, leaving the tour in a difficult position.
According to Sheeran, he attempted to find a compromise but ultimately could not reverse the decision. Macklemore later discussed his conversations with Sheeran, while other artists including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga withdrew from the tour.
That explanation did not stop the online criticism. On Reddit, some users described Sheeran's response as 'spineless', with one commenter accusing him of trying to distance himself from the decision while attempting to avoid alienating either side of the debate.
The controversy has continued to put Sheeran under scrutiny, particularly over how he has handled the fallout from Macklemore's departure and the political discussion surrounding the tour.
