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Ed Sheeran's cousin launches fresh attack on star as he brands him a 'coward' and says he is 'not a good person' amid pro-Palestine tour row

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Christie, O. (2026, September 17). Ed Sheeran's cousin launches fresh attack on star as he brands him a 'coward' and says he is 'not a good person' amid pro-Palestine tour row. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16140063/Ed-Sheerans-cousin-launches-fresh-attack-star.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Daily Mail · collected 2026-09-17 · by Olivia Christie

Quick Summary

Ed Sheeran's cousin Jethro has publicly criticized the pop star, calling him a "coward" and stating that he is "not a good person," in response to Sheeran's decision to drop rapper Macklemore from his tour after Macklemore spoke out in support of Palestine. The feud between the two family members resurfaced due to past disputes over music credits and legal issues involving Jethro’s daughter Skyla Rain Sheeran.
Written by AI on 2026-09-18, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Jethro Sheeran, a cousin of Ed Sheeran who is nine years older, has criticized the pop star on Facebook for dropping rapper Macklemore from his tour over political differences. Jethro called Ed a "coward" and said he is "not a good person," expressing shame at his actions amid the controversy in September 2023. Macklemore had delivered pro-Palestinian speeches during Sheeran's shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4th and 5th, wearing a keffiyeh scarf as a symbol of support for Palestine. Despite previous reports suggesting that stadium owners pressured Sheeran into the decision, Jethro believes Ed made it himself due to his own political views, accusing him of being "selfish" and having "malicious, cunning ways." The feud between the cousins has been ongoing since their youth when they would often write and record tracks together.

Written for “Ed Sheeran Cousin Criticizes Singer” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Ed Sheeran Cousin Criticizes Singer
Entertainment · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
National Post
⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 2 of 38 claims Outlet record 60/100
“While both articles discuss Macklemore's cancellation from Ed Sheeran's tour due to support for Palestine, Article A focuses on reactions and views around cancel culture, whereas Article B centers on a new attack by Ed Sheeran's cousin. These are related but distinct incidents.”
The Guardian
Hedges 2 of 20 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A discusses a cousin of Ed Sheeran criticizing him over Macklemore's firing from his tour, while Article B reports on YouTube star Ms Rachel matching Macklemore’s $1 million donation to Palestinian organizations. These are separate events.”
New York Post
Hedges 0 of 32 claims Outlet record 66/100
“The articles describe different reactions to the controversy involving Ed Sheeran and Macklemore's removal from his tour.”
Evening Standard
Hedges 3 of 30 claims Outlet record 65/100
“The articles discuss different aspects related to Ed Sheeran's tour following Macklemore's controversy, but they do not describe the same specific incident or occurrence.”
BBC News
Hedges 0 of 15 claims Outlet record 68/100
“The articles describe different moments in time: Article A discusses Ed Sheeran's cousin reacting to Macklemore being dropped from the tour, while Article B reports on Sheeran addressing the controversy at a later concert.”
Washington Examiner
Hedges 1 of 20 claims Outlet record 70/100
“The articles describe different aspects of a broader controversy: Article A focuses on Ed Sheeran's cousin's reaction, while Article B covers Sheeran addressing the issue in a pre-concert speech.”
Al Jazeera
Hedges 2 of 76 claims Outlet record 60/100
“While both articles discuss Ed Sheeran's tour and Macklemore's removal due to pro-Palestine support, ARTICLE A focuses on artists pulling out of the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, whereas ARTICLE B reports a personal feud between Ed Sheeran and his cousin regarding the issue.”
CBS News
⚖️ Centre Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 66/100
“While both articles discuss Ed Sheeran's tour and Macklemore being dropped due to pro-Palestine comments, they describe different aspects of the incident: Article A focuses on the general details of the event, while Article B covers a specific reaction from Sheeran's cousin.”
Evening Standard
Hedges 0 of 36 claims Outlet record 65/100
“The articles cover different aspects of a larger controversy surrounding Ed Sheeran's decision to remove Macklemore from his tour, not the same specific incident or time.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
27
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 27 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
68/100
Daily Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
2
Entertainment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-18 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Daily Mail · 8618 article(s) · 20 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 20 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Olivia Christie
28 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 She highlighted evidence from the entertainer's former personal assistant, Helen Berger, who said Brand was 'always in his underwear', and added: 'We suggest this demonstrates a disregard for professional boundaries.' Ms Karmy-Jones told jurors: 'We suggest you will be satisfied so you are sure that the six complainants told you the truth, not an invented truth, not a reimagined truth, but the real truth of what happened to them.
🔮 But furious local residents are campaigning for the land to remain untouched amid fears bulldozers will destroy one of the village's last wildlife refuges.
🔮 Trans activists have launched a petition against Harry Potter-themed Christmas lights in London, saying they will make members of the LGBTQ+ community feel unwelcome.
🔮 Residents say they no longer feel safe in their own back gardens, have been threatened and fear the site could leave their homes difficult to sell.
🔮 The UK is bracing for its second storm in just two days, with 80mph winds and heavy rain expected to cause 'widespread travel disruption' and power cuts.
🔮 Cars entering these roads without a valid permit at a time during operating hours will receive a fine of £70 (reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days).
🔮 Several hundred people, mostly of a younger demographic, took to the streets of the capital on Saturday. They also clashed with police as they protested against rising education costs and reforms which many believe could make higher education less accessible.
🔮 The pair will appear before a special sitting of Clonmel District Court at around 4.30pm today.
🔮 You knew you could not be seen to be involved at all, or you would have been in trouble immediately.
🔮 Sadly, former PC Spelman ignored these core guidelines and principles on a number of occasions and thought he could act in such an unacceptable way without consequence - he was wrong. '
Also by Olivia Christie
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 28 articles by Olivia Christie →

Topics

American Daily Mail Facebook Palestine pro-Palestinian

Subjects

Sheeran PERSON · 10× Macklemore PERSON · 8× Jethro PERSON · 5× Palestine GPE · 5× Jethro Sheeran PERSON · 3× Facebook ORG · 2× New Jersey GPE · 2× the Daily Mail ORG · 2× Daily Mail ORG · 1× Ed Sheeran's PERSON · 1×

Narrative

Jethro, who is nine years older than Ed, says that when the now world famous singer was growing up the cousins would 'hang out', writing and recording tracks together Macklemore delivered his politically-motivated speeches when he opened Sheeran's shows at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. He was due to open for the singer at eight of the remaining ten shows on his tour in America, but on Monday it was announced he had been dropped.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-18
🔮 He had hoped that re-releasing the track would help raise funds to help his daughter, Skyla Rain Sheeran, who is also an aspiring singer, get a start on a career in music.

Claims (27 extracted, 0 hedged)

- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Ed Sheeran's cousin has branded the pop star a 'coward' and said he is 'not a good person' after Macklemore was dropped from the singer's tour over his support for Palestine. asserted
Macklemore → see → Palestine
The American rapper delivered pro-Palestinian speeches and donned the keffiyeh scarf while opening two of Sheeran's performances in New Jersey earlier this month. asserted
rapper → deliver → Jersey
Jethro Sheeran, who is nine years older and has been locked in a bitter feud with Sheeran in the past, responded to the row by saying he was 'ashamed' of his cousin. asserted
he → lock → cousin
In a furious post on Facebook, he said: 'Finally it's all coming out! asserted
it → say → Facebook
I'm ashamed of my cousin Ed and what he's done. asserted
he → do → what
'Finally the world and all his fans see through him. asserted
world → see → him
He's not a good person, I don't like his music so I can't say he's even a good artist.' asserted
he → like → music
Sheeran, who is a long-term friend of Macklemore, has insisted he had nothing to do with the decision to drop him from the tour. asserted
he → insist → tour
Insiders previously told the Daily Mail the episode had left Sheeran 'seriously upset', because he has always been careful to keep his own politics private. asserted
he → tell → politics
Jethro Sheeran added that despite the pair spending the school holidays writing tracks together, his cousin 'screwed him over' once he became famous. asserted
he → add → him
Jethro Sheeran (right) and his famous cousin Ed are at the centre of a bitter family row Macklemore (R) was dropped from Sheeran's (L) tour after he delivered a politically motivated speech in support of Palestine The bone of contention that sparked the feud centres around a track called Raise Em Up which Jethro recorded with Ed in 2010. asserted
Jethro → drop → 2010
It also featured in the 2013 movie All Stars. asserted
It → feature → movie
Jethro had recorded a remixed version which co-credited Ed and featured his face in artwork. asserted
which → record → artwork
He had hoped that re-releasing the track would help raise funds to help his daughter, Skyla Rain Sheeran, who is also an aspiring singer, get a start on a career in music. asserted
who → hop → music
But lawyers working for Ed's record label, Warner Music, soon contacted Jethro to say they would take him to court unless he dropped references to Ed on the track. asserted
he → work → track
He is shady and he’s dropped Macklemore himself I believe 100 per cent he’s a coward,' Jethro continued in his post on Facebook. asserted
Jethro → drop → Facebook
'In my opinion he’s a bad human. asserted
he → ’ → opinion
Several celebrities have backed Macklemore's comments on Palestine, including Lewis Hamilton, who wrote: 'Thank you for using your voice, standing with you.' asserted
who → back → you
Activist Greta Thunberg said: 'Full solidarity and free Palestine. asserted
Thunberg → say → solidarity
Artists' very active silence in the face of injustice and genocide will not be forgotten.' asserted
silence → forget → injustice
Pop star Paloma Faith added: 'You are a rare and important voice...thank you for existing.... asserted
You → add → you
Jethro, who is nine years older than Ed, says that when the now world famous singer was growing up the cousins would 'hang out', writing and recording tracks together Macklemore delivered his politically-motivated speeches when he opened Sheeran's shows at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. He was due to open for the singer at eight of the remaining ten shows on his tour in America, but on Monday it was announced he had been dropped. asserted
he → say → Monday
Breaking his silence amid the backlash, Sheeran insisted Macklemore coming off the tour was the 'promoter's decision', not his. asserted
coming → break → tour
He added his audience is often young people 'from different backgrounds' who do not expect his shows to be a political forum. asserted
shows → add → backgrounds
Sheeran lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours amid the row over Palestine. asserted
Sheeran → lose → Palestine
And after the news of Macklemore's departure, all of Sheeran's remaining support acts have also stepped away from the tour. asserted
all → remain → tour
The Daily Mail has contacted Sheeran's representatives for comment. asserted
Mail → contact → comment
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