I’M deep in the bowels of Portman Road stadium playing keepy-uppy when I clock someone walking into the room.
The corridors were already abuzz with tour managers and crew, so if it wasn’t for the repeated hugs a very familiar flame-haired man was getting, I wouldn’t have noticed him.
With zero fanfare, one of the most successful British artists of all time walks over to me, hand outstretched. “I’m Ed,”; he smiles — as if needs any introduction.
Despite never losing eye contact as we chat, in his hands he’s signing a stack of Polaroid pictures — shuffling on to the next one like a world-class magician.
“I have thousands of these to do, I do them everywhere,”; he laughs.
The Polaroids will eventually make their way into special limited-edition copies of his upcoming eighth album Play.
It’s been three years since Ed last did shows in the UK and this weekend feels special.
We meet on Friday evening before the first of his three sell-out at his beloved ’s ground.
By today, Ed will have played to 90,000 fans.
After I tell him I can’t believe he’s not exhausted from touring the globe non- stop for four years, Ed nods: “I’m knackered.
“The tour ends in September. I’m going to have a big party to celebrate the end of the tour. It’s been four years.”;
At least for this weekend Ed got to wake up in his own bed in his “”; estate near the picture-perfect town of Framlingham, which is just over 30 minutes away.
“All three nights I’m at home — even Sunday,”; Ed says, clearly relieved to be back for a burst of normality.
But a boozy Sunday was off the cards after he took his final bow last night.
Ed tells me: “When I did in 2022, we went out the night before.
“But now I can’t, I have kids. We are up at 6am no matter where I am.
After I’m politely asked if we are ready for our photograph — Ed isn’t officially doing interviews — The A Team singer interjects, keen to talk about me and where I’m from.
Explaining I’m from a little village in where even if were to rock up no one would recognise her, Ed admits it reminds him of his own home town.
A lifelong Ipswich fan, Ed asks if I support Derby County.
Unable to bluff my way through, I admit football isn’t really my bag.
Instead I find common ground by telling him we were both in last week, him on his mammoth Mathematics world tour and me for Cologne Pride.
He asks how it was and after telling him about my three days of non-stop partying, I get back to business.
It’s hard to play down the significance of the gigs for both Ed and Ipswich.
Fans have flown in from all over the world and have been camping outside the stadium since 4am in baking heat.
While the local Burger King is offering an Ed combo special for £10.99.
By the time he takes to the stage at 8.15pm, the atmosphere is electric.
Ed kicks things off with new track Sapphire followed by 2021 No1 Shivers and his 2011 track The A Team.
Within the first 15 minutes, multiple pyrotechnics and fireworks pop off around us.
Beaming, Ed tells the crowd: “It’s good to be back.
“I have been looking forward to this so, so much.
“I haven’t played a big, big show in the UK since 2022 when we did the Wembley shows.
“That was a conversation actually, last year — should we come back and do a run of Wembley shows, and I was like, ‘It just doesn’t seem special’.
“I want it to be special, and Ipswich is special.
‘SPECIAL WEEKEND’
“All the times I’ve come to this stadium and imagined playing it.
“It looks amazing.”;
Ed continues: “Over the last 15 years I’ve only really played one other big show in Ipswich.
“We played a park to signal the end of Divide and it’s really cool to play here and signal the beginning of Play.
“Everything you hear tonight is live.
“There is no backing track whatsoever — it’s all made by me.”;
As I join the thousands watching Ed, it’s impossible not to be in awe of both his ability to deliver a five-star performance with just his guitar and a loop pedal — and the sheer volume of hits he has in his back catalogue.
Opening up about against him which falsely accused him of stealing the music to Thinking Out Loud and Shape Of You, Ed explains: “I love writing songs.
“Writing songs is not only my hobby, it’s my life.
“All I want to do is write songs and play shows.
“These became such big news stories.
“And the reason is that it’s kind of an open secret in the music industry that this happens behind the scenes.
“Both of those cases came to me a year before and said we are going to make this really public and say you stole this song unless you give us some money.
“But I was like, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong’.
“Both times the reason it went so big was because I said ‘no’ — but reputationally for a few years people thought I was a thief.”;
On Friday night Ed surprised fans by bringing out for a rendition of their 1999 classic Flying Without Wings.
Ed may have 43 Top 10 singles, including 14 No1s, and sold more than 200million records worldwide, but he hasn’t lost touch with where he’s from.
He continues: “I never underestimate the amount of effort it takes to get to a gig.
“Some people fly here, they get trains.
“People taking time out of their daily schedule.
“They get babysitters.
“Even just the act of getting tickets in the first place.
“It’s effort to come to one of these shows and I am so grateful.
“It’s such a special weekend for me to be with my family and friends and I’m so grateful we could share it together.
“Thank you for making so much effort.”;
I think the thanks are to you Ed, for the music which has soundtracked our lives for the past 15 years.
Oh, and if you see my cap, I accidentally left it in your dressing room.
Consider it yours.
CHART CHAMP’S £10M BONUS
ED’S homecoming weekend could boost the local economy by around £10million – thanks to fans splashing the cash on hotels, meals out and drinks.
Tickets for all three shows sold out within an hour earlier this year.
A boat in the marina was emblazoned with a “Welcome home Ed”; banner and Ipswich town centre was packed all day – with guitar shop owner John Fender, who previously served Ed in his store, telling the BBC his shop has never been busier.
John said: “He used to come in and buy music books when he was growing up, then in October 2022 he popped in and bought a guitar and amp from us before his surprise gig in the Cornhill.
“Everyone’s buzzing.
“We’ve had some people in today from Germany, from America.
“People are travelling from all around to Ipswich.
“I think it’s brilliant for the town and the area.”;
HE’S FLYING HIGH
ED’S fans got a special treat after he was joined on stage by Westlife, left, to kick off his three-night run.
Revealing why he invited the lads over from Ireland, he said via Instagram: “The reason I wrote Shape Of You was that I wanted to go in the studio with one of the men that was behind Flying Without Wings – producer Steve Mac.
“It’s one of my favourite songs of all time.
“I used to pretend I was in Westlife when I was, like, nine years old.
“But tonight I got to actually be a member, playing with Steve and Beoga on stage for the homecoming shows at Ipswich Town.
“Just pure magic.
“Thank you for flying over, lads.
“I will never forget that moment x.”;
