It is obviously never a good time to receive a positive COVID-19 test, but Ed Sheeran’s diagnosis came at a particularly inconvenient moment: He announced last month that he had tested positive just days before the release of his new album = and shortly before his planned stint as Saturday Night Live musical guest. There were fears that the show would have to replace Sheeran, but now that will no longer be necessary.
Today, Sheeran took to Instagram to let his followers know that he no longer has to quarantine and this his SNL performance will go on as scheduled. Sharing a photo of himself performing, he wrote, “Posting this pic to say I’m released from covid isolation today, so if you see me out and about I’ve had the all clear and done my quarantine. Excited to hit the ground running with work again, and SNL is still on, so tune in Saturday, see you there x.”
He also recently shared a post about making = with collaborator Johnny McDaid, writing, “Me and Johnny started this album June 2017 in Los Angeles, and finished it July 2021. What a journey, man. When lockdown hit we locked in together and started creating. Overpass Graffiti and Sandman came in those first few weeks, and countless others. Shivers was a pillar that the album oddly formed around. When things opened up we started working in more interesting spaces to write songs. Johnny would set up in old farms or country houses and we’d just make mad songs. Bad habits, Joker and the Queen and Be Right Now came all in a bonkers couple of weeks in Glemham Hall in Suffolk in January. We’ve had 10 years of making songs now, from Photograph to Shape of You. It’s a joy to work with you brother, thank you for guiding me on this album whenever I got lost. Thank you for pushing me, and doing 92 versions of a production just to get it right. We made something very special, and you are very special. Up the lads, youl never beat the lads.”
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.