Ed Sheeran mocked on SNL UK as Macklemore fallout continues

Amelia Dimoldenberg took a swipe at Ed Sheeran during her Saturday Night Live UK monologue, mocking his handling of the Macklemore controversy.

The Chicken Shop Date host, 32, was hosting this week's episode and began by talking about ending her hit YouTube series.

While listing the celebrities she has interviewed, she turned to Sheeran, who cried and read an apology from a teleprompter on stage last week. "I've been incredibly privileged to have done so many interviews with people like Idris Elba, Cher, and even a world-famous, red-headed puppet with a hand up his a*** telling him what to say," she said.

As a photo of her with Elmo appeared on screen, she added, "No, the other one," and the image switched to one of her with Sheeran.

The joke follows the biggest backlash of Sheeran's career as he dropped US rapper Macklemore, 43, from his Loop Tour after political comments Macklemore made at two MetLife Stadium shows in New Jersey on September 4 and 5, where he introduced his 2024 protest song Hind's Hall.

Stadium owner Robert Kraft accused the rapper of hate speech, saying he was "only sharing selective information. Kraft also banned him from Gillette Stadium near Boston.

After Macklemore was removed, openers Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, plus Sheeran's backing band Beoga, left the tour in solidarity. Sheeran was then accused of "bowing to the mob" over his apology.

Macklemore has since announced benefit concerts in Dublin, Paris and London, starting October 26.