Ed Sheeran Sobs While Revealing Update On His Wife’s ‘Really Bad’ Health Struggles

May 09, 2023

Ed Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter known for his heartfelt lyrics, soulful voice and unique blend of acoustic and electronic sounds. Born on Feb. 17, 1991, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Sheeran began playing the guitar at a young age and quickly developed a passion for music. He grew up in a musical family, and his father was an art lecturer and a composer.

Sheeran's early musical influences included Irish folk music and hip-hop, which he listened to while performing in local venues around his hometown. After moving to London to pursue a career in music, he began playing in small clubs and recording demos, which led to him being discovered by Jamie Foxx. In 2011, Sheeran released his debut album, "+," which showcased his signature style of combining acoustic guitar and electronic beats with his poignant and introspective lyrics. The album's lead single, "The A Team," became a massive hit and earned him international recognition.

Over the years, Sheeran has continued to release chart-topping albums and singles, including "x," "÷" and "No. 6 Collaborations Project," which featured collaborations with popular artists such as Justin Bieber, Cardi B and Bruno Mars. In addition to his solo career, Sheeran has written songs for other artists, including One Direction and Taylor Swift.

Sheeran's success as a musician has earned him numerous awards and accolades. In 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to music and charity.

Sheeran quietly married his childhood sweetheart in a secret ceremony in 2018. He is also now a dad of two daughters. However, Sheeran’s personal life hasn’t always been easy, as in March 2023, he revealed he suffered great loss and that his wife had gone through health hardships.

Over the course of his career, Ed Sheeran has played to his fans in pretty much any size venue you can think of. He has gone from singing in the streets to performing in small theaters to playing in massive stadiums across the globe. His albums have continued to be full of masterly crafted songs, many of which receive high airplay on the radio.

Some of Sheeran’s most popular songs include “Shape of You,” “Castle on the Hill,” The A Team” and “Perfect.” Sheeran has also shown off his great collaborator skills in songs such as “I Don’t Care” with Justin Bieber, “Beautiful People” with Khalid and “The Joker and the Queen” with Taylor Swift.

In March 2017, Sheeran kicked off a two-year tour, which ended up grossing more than $775.6 million from ticket sales, topping the list of highest-grossing tours of 2018, according to Pollstar. It went all over the world and included a headlining Glastonbury show and mini-residency at London’s Wembley Stadium. 

While Sheeran has gone on to play other shows since then, the English singer made a shocking announcement back in August 2019 that left fans reeling. Sheeran came home to Ipswich, Suffolk, to round out the tour and toward the end of the show, he declared to surprised fans that it would be the last for a while. 

“There is something very bittersweet about it. I love that you guys are here and we are ending it in Ipswich. This is my last gig for probably 18 months,” NME reported him as saying. 

Sheeran added: “It’s been an emotional day for a lot of people backstage. It kind of feels like, in a weird way, that you’re breaking up with a girlfriend that you’ve been with for years. It sounds odd but it has been a long tour.”

Only a month before the announcement, Sheeran confirmed for the first time he had married his long-time girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn. The British press later reported they had wed in front of close family and friends at the singer’s home just before Christmas 2018 and that Sheeran wanted a break to spend time with his newly wedded wife.

The pair, who met when they were children, reconnected later in life and began dating. In January 2018, the musician made their engagement announcement on Instagram with a sweet Polaroid photo captioned: “Got myself a fiancé just before new year. We are very happy and in love, and our cats are chuffed as well xx.”

Sheeran’s 2019 break was not the first time the singer had stepped back from performing. In 2015, when he and Seaborn had reconnected, Sheeran announced he was taking a break and later explained: “The catalyst of taking a year off was also the fact that my partner quit her job in New York… we were just basically like, let’s quit our jobs and have a year of forming a tight bond. So we went traveling and spent every day for a year together.” 

He added: “This has been the first time I've ever actually had the time to fall in love properly.”

Sheeran also later revealed Seaborn to be the inspiration behind many of his hits, including “Perfect.” 

He told Us Weekly:

“‘Perfect’ was the first song that I wrote for the album, It was inspired by Cherry. … I didn’t see her first reaction to the song because she lived in New York at the time. So I just emailed it to her but she did really like it.”

The pair welcomed their first child, daughter Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran, in August 2020. “We are completely in love with her. … we are on cloud nine over here,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of a pair of baby socks. 

In May 2022, he announced the birth of his second child in much the same way, posting a photo of socks with the caption: “Want to let you all know we’ve had another beautiful baby girl. … over the moon to be a family of 4 x.” The child was later reported to be named Jupiter.

In October 2022, Sheeran talked about how he has embraced fatherhood, especially with his loving wife by his side.

“It's great,” he said. “I’m really enjoying being a father of two.”

Even before Sheeran was a father, he proved that he had a soft spot in his heart for kids. One of the causes close to Sheeran’s heart is supporting vulnerable children. He has been a long-time supporter of the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), which provides care and support for children with life-threatening illnesses. 

In 2014, Sheeran donated clothes and shoes to EACH charity shop, which raised over £5,000 (about $6,020). He also performed at a charity event for EACH, helping to raise over £200,000 (about $240,800).

Sheeran has also supported the Elton John AIDS Foundation, contributing to the fight against HIV and AIDS. So it comes as no surprise that on the Brisbane stop for his Mathematics tour on Feb. 19, 2023, the music superstar delighted patients and staff of the Queensland Children’s Hospital with a heartwarming visit. 

Over the course of two hours, Sheeran chatted with the kids and their carers, posed for photos and videos and gave multiple performances, even some private ones to just one child at the hospital at a time.

“He was very friendly,” one of the children told 7NEWS. “That was like a dream. It was fun.” One of the hospital’s staff members also had glowing reviews for the singer. “It seemed like he really wanted to be there, he really sat down, got chatting to the kids, finding out where they were from, their stories, which was really lovely.” 

One young patient, Kissy Latu, even got to sing a duet with him and later told the news outlet:

“I choked a bit I was so stunned because he was right next to me, and he was singing and I was so nervous I forgot the lyrics.” 

The hospital shared clips of Sheeran’s visit on its official Instagram account, expressing heartfelt thanks for brightening up the children’s day. 

The hospital shared a montage of Sheeran making his rounds, which included serenading one young girl in bed in her room, stopping mid-performance to move a water bottle out of the reach of a child with a cast on one arm. 

More clips showed the singer performing for an even larger crowd and later taking selfies with them. “A mathematics lesson on a Sunday isn’t for everyone, but when #EdSheeran is the teacher, who’s gonna complain?” the caption read. 

The hospital also shared photos of the visit and expressed its heartfelt thanks. “A lesson in mathematics that our patients and families will remember forever. A big heartfelt thank you to the amazing #EdSheeran for stopping by for a special surprise visit (and a song or two) today – you made us all ‘shiver’ (see what we did, there 😂). Thanks for the memories you made today ❤️ – and all the best for the rest of your tour. Drop by anytime!”

A few days later, on Feb. 25, 2023, the artist stopped by another hospital, this time the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick. With guitar in hand, Sheeran performed for a ward full of young patients delighted by his surprise visit. The hospital also shared moments from the special day, showing children clapping and singing along as he played, the joy and excitement so clear on their faces.

“Thinking Out Loud, we found Ed right where we are… ❤️ Thank you, @teddysphotos, for stopping by Randwick and making magical memories for our patients and families – whether it was singing your famous tunes, answering all questions, and taking selfies with everyone present,” the caption read.

As a role model for young people worldwide, we’re thrilled to see Sheeran using his platform to raise awareness of important issues and encourage others to get involved in charitable activities.

Throughout his career, Sheeran has been very honest in his songwriting, even during times it has been difficult. Typically accompanied by a memorable melody and well-produced track, Sheeran’s lyrics truly shine in his discography.

Sheeran’s song “Eyes Closed,” from his album 2023 “-,” truly depicts the heartache the singer has endured over the years. Through the lyrics, Sheeran revealed how often he’s found himself on the verge of tears and how every situation reminds him of his late friend. Unable to cope with it, he closes his eyes to shield himself from the memories.

Speaking with the Independent, Sheeran talked about what “Eyes Closed” meant to him:

“This song is about losing someone, feeling like every time you go out and you expect to just bump into them, and everything just reminds you of them and the things you did together. You sort of have to take yourself out of reality sometimes to numb the pain of loss, but certain things just bring you right back into it.”

In the music video, a big blue monster followed Sheeran around. “Often sadness is something that follows you around, engulfing the rooms you’re in, and you can feel and see it, but no-one else around you can,” Sheeran explained. “So, I decided to create my own big blue monster for the video. He gets bigger and bigger as the video goes on, until he takes up whole rooms, and is all I can see, just like sadness.”

At the end of the video, the monster went away, showing that perhaps Sheeran is finally moving forward with his grieving process.

In March 2023, the trailer for Sheeran’s Disney+ docuseries “Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All” was released. In the trailer, Sheeran explained how he envisioned the documentary going in a different direction, but “life can be unpredictable,” and he needed to share more.

"Everything in my life sort of got so much better when Cherry got into it," Sheeran shared. "I've got married and I'm a dad who has two daughters."

Unfortunately, Seaborn endured health struggles. According to Page Six, Seaborn was diagnosed with a tumor during her second pregnancy. She had “no route to treatment until after the birth.”

Sheeran also revealed that his best friend and the man who discovered him, Jamal Edwards, had died. He explained:

"Cherry's health, it was really bad and then suddenly my best friend Jamal dies. You guys said we should make a documentary and I said 'Yeah, it will be me in the studio, and we'll play the gig.' That's not what the documentary is. Loss, it just took over my life. Every time something bad happens, I tend to write a song about it."

Clips showed Sheeran breaking down and crying in the car as he explained the hardships he and his wife went through. Sheeran continued:

"I’ve always been very guarded in my personal and private life; the only documentary I’ve ever made has been one that focused on my songwriting. Disney approached me to make a four-part documentary, and it felt like the right time to open the door and let people in. I hope people enjoy it."

The documentary was released in May 2023, the same week as Sheeran’s album, “-.”

Are you a fan of Ed Sheeran? What is your favorite song of his? What are your thoughts on him sharing more about his private life? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.