Sheeran has landed ... in Masterton?
Has award-winning super pop star Ed Sheeran landed in the big smoke of Masterton?
After finishing three sell-out concerts in Auckland on Monday, Sheeran had just one day of down time before heading to Dunedin to kick off another three concerts from tonight.
Though his plans were shrouded in secrecy, Stuff understood he spent the day in Masterton with Oscar-award winning director Sir Peter Jackson and his family.
It was there that a mysterious plane appeared, likely belonging to Jackson. He also owns a mansion just out of Masterton in the Matahiwi district.
The film-maker also has a keen passion for collecting World War I aircraft and artefacts.
The Masterton airport manager declined to comment, and a Masterton District Council spokeswoman said she hadn’t heard anything about a visit by Sheeran.
A receptionist at the Copthorne Hotel said there was no accommodation booked for Sheeran or any of his managers. ‘‘There’s not really any hype up these ways in Masterton.’’
Sheeran developed a special bond with Jackson after he was hired to write a song to feature in Jackson’s 2013 film The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. The song was I See Fire.
Meanwhile, Sheeran has been snapped wearing a Hurricanes rugby jersey after one of his Auckland shows this week.
His Auckland supporting act, Wellington band Drax Project, shared a photo of Sheeran wearing the capital city franchise’s black and yellow jersey as he posed with them.
If Sheeran’s loyalties do lie with the capital, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise – last year, he told The Project that Wellington was his favourite city in the world.