Ed Sheeran’s WEEK FROM HELL
A nasty legal battle and grief leave the singer ‘traumatised’
Things sure haven’t been Perfect in Ed Sheeran’s world of late, with the pop star now tensely awaiting a verdict in a London High Court trial over his hit song Shape Of You.
“Ed’s telling friends it’s been the worst week – actually, make it month – ever,” says an insider. “He was absolutely devastated to have to defend himself in court. For him, it was very personal.”
Indeed, the 31-year-old singer’s lawyer says Ed found the 11-day hearing, which ended on 22 March, “deeply traumatising”.
FOREVER TAINTED
Grime artist Sami Chokri, 28, who performs under the name Sami Switch, is accusing the star of copying his 2015 song Oh Why
– released two years before Shape Of You.
Sami’s barrister told the court there was an “indisputable similarity between the works”, but Ed’s lawyer maintained the case against the singer – and his songwriting partners Johnny McDaid of Snow Patrol and producer Steven McCutcheon – was “so strained as to be logically unintelligible” and the dispute “should never have gone to trial”.
“Ed was so proud of Shape Of You and now it will forever be tainted,” a source tells Woman’s Day of the hit, which remains the most streamed song of all time on Spotify. “This case not only attacked his songwriting abilities and credibility, but also that of his close friend Johnny.”
According to the insider, the pair have been relying on the support of Courteney Cox, 57, Johnny’s fiancée and Ed’s close pal.
“He and Johnny have been really cut up about it, but thankfully they’ve had Courteney to lean on,” says the source.
LOSING SHANE
Now, while the songwriters face “a torturous wait” as the judge deliberates, Ed’s also grieving over the loss of close mate Shane Warne. “He’s still struggling to get over the shock of losing his friend,”
the insider tells Woman’s Day. “To him, being so far away from it all, it doesn’t feel real. Sometimes when he receives texts, he just expects it to be something hilarious sent by Warnie.”
Ed paid tribute last week to the late King of Spin, who died on 4 March.
“What was so amazing about him was how he was as a human being towards other human beings,” he says. “The heart on him was the thing that I will remember.”
The music insider says Ed “desperately” wants to be at Shane’s state funeral on 30 March, but it’s looking likely he won’t be able to make it.
“For Ed, travelling to Melbourne would have provided a little closure, but sadly it’s not to be,” the source says of the star, who has a lot on his plate at home in the UK.
“It’s been a rough time, but Ed’s trying his best to put on a brave face and be present for his wife and daughter. The court case has rocked his confidence, though. There’s no telling how this might affect his passion for music and songwriting for a while.”
‘There’s no telling how this might affect his passion for music’