{
  "id": 8670679,
  "title": "Sheeran apologises over handling of Macklemore controversy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/sheeran-apologises-over-handling-of-macklemore-controversy-8670679",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T10:09:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/09/20/sheeran-apologises-over-macklemore-controversy-criticises-israel-s-gaza-war"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ed Sheeran apologized on Saturday for his handling of a controversy involving rapper Macklemore. Sheeran decried Israel's treatment of residents in Gaza as \"unjustifiable\" and said he was \"deeply worried\" about concert venues vetting performers' content. The British singer called the October 2023 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis \"horrific\" but also called Israel's subsequent war \"catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.\" Sheeran's statements differed from earlier in the week when he said his concert audiences \"do not expect a political forum.\" The controversy erupted after Macklemore was removed as an opening act over comments about the occupied Palestinian territories.",
  "summary": "Ed Sheeran apologised for the controversy over rapper Macklemore's removal as his opening act and decried Israel's treatment of residents in Gaza as 'unjustifiable'.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Sheeran apologises over handling of Macklemore controversy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/sheeran-apologises-over-handling-of-macklemore-controversy",
        "published": "2026-09-20T10:09:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}