Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour has been marred by controversy since the departure of supporting act Macklemore, which led to four more acts leaving the tour. In a recent video posted on Instagram, Sheeran opened up about the difficulties he faced during the tumultuous week.

According to the video, recorded on September 19 at Lincoln Financial Field, Sheeran described the past week as "one of the worst weeks of my life." He became visibly emotional as he reflected on the turmoil surrounding the tour. "In these situations, you really find out who your friends are," Sheeran stated, adding that it had indeed been a weird week.

Sheeran went on to explain that some of the individuals closest to him had stepped back, while others urged him to cancel the remaining shows. The singer expressed concerns about whether he wanted to continue with the tour and if being an artist was still something he desired.

The controversy surrounding Macklemore's comments about Palestine during his performances at MetLife Stadium contributed to the difficulties faced by Sheeran. Several venues objected to Macklemore's remarks, leading the promoter to decide to remove him from the tour. This decision resulted in the loss of several key members, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga, who all departed the tour in support of their colleague.

As a result, Sheeran found himself without his initially announced support lineup and was forced to assemble replacement musicians. Despite the challenges, Sheeran chose to proceed with the scheduled performance in Philadelphia, citing the strong ticket sales as motivation. During the concert, he acknowledged the audience's loyalty, saying thousands of fans had chosen to attend even when people around him seemed to be pulling away.

However, Sheeran did address the broader controversy, expressing regret over any mistakes made and discussing freedom of speech. Notably, he condemned the October 7 attack in Israel and referred to the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic and unjustifiable."

By the end of the night, Ed Sheeran had called the Philadelphia show one of the best experiences of his career. It marked a turning point for the artist, who said the audience's response gave him hope after a painful week filled with abandonment and criticism.