Ed Sheeran was overcome with emotion while talking about his wife Cherry Seaborn’s precarious health and the tragic passing of his close friend Jamal Edwards in a trailer for Disney+’s new four-part series released today.
The British sensation, aged 32, breaks down in tears while riding in a vehicle as seen in the promotional clip for her upcoming docu-series ‘The Sum Of It All’, premiering on 3rd May.
Recently, Ed shared that he plunged into depression after his wife was diagnosed with a tumour while expecting last year, which caused her treatment to be postponed. Tragically, in February 2022 he experienced another setback – the passing of his first mentor Jamal Edwards due to a heart attack.
In the recently released trailer, Suffolk-born singer-songwriter is brought to tears as he struggles with the loss of his friend while Cherry prepares for their second child’s birth in May 2022. Jupiter was born during this uncertain time and truly shines a light on how significant moments are even when tragedy looms nearby.
Subsequently, the video features a heartbreaking scene of him weeping on stage with his companion Cherry stating: ‘I’ve never seen him cry on stage’, adding: ‘He hasn’t had the time to process and be at peace with his thoughts.’
Ed continued: ‘You guys said, “Do you want to make a documentary?” and I said, “Yeah, it’ll be me in the studio and we’ll play a gig”. But he added that after the trauma of the past year: ‘That’s not what the documentary is’.
In six short weeks, the four-part series will highlight Ed Sheeran’s remarkable journey from obscurity to becoming a global superstar.
Ed’s trailer – which left fans feeling emotional – begins with a recollection of his childhood and the struggles he faced with stuttering: ‘That guy doesn’t grow up to be a pop star. It’s so unlikely’.
Ed’s nostalgic childhood videos are seamlessly blended with highlights of his sold-out arena shows, creating an uplifting journey into the past and present.
Viewers will accompany him on his journey to becoming one of the music industry’s most renowned celebrities, starting with the early days of his career.
Last year, Ed mourned the sudden loss of his beloved friend Jamal—whom he had first met years ago and who gave him his big break in life. Despite their time apart since then, they remained close until the end, cherishing every moment spent together.
Tragically, Jamal Edwards, the 31-year-old music producer and son of Loose Women star Brenda Edwards, passed away in February 2022 due to a cardiac arrest caused by cocaine and alcohol.
In the docuseries, Ed’s wife Cherry is also featured. Viewers can witness her pregnancy journey with their two children Lyra (2 years old) and Jupiter (10 months).
The two are often spotted out together, with Ed commenting:’Everything in my life sort of got so much better when Cherry came into it.’
Throughout the series, viewers are also taken on a journey of Cherry’s health struggles and how her illness impacted their relationship.
Recently, Ed divulged that the couple had been struggling immensely since Cherry was diagnosed with a tumour – an ailment she couldn’t receive treatment for until after delivering their second child. Fear, depression and anxiety filled the air as they patiently waited to welcome their little one into the world.
Concluding the trailer on an uplifting note, we see Ed joyously celebrating his birthday, playing music and laughing with his friends. He then muses that ‘life can be unpredictable’, reminding us to make the most of our time here.
After Ed announced that the lead single from his upcoming album Subtract is a tribute to his late friend Jamal, it has become clear why this project means so much to him.
Get ready to groove! Mark your calendars, because on March 24th Ed’s upcoming album, Subtract will be unveiled with its lead single ‘Eyes Closed’.
Ed recently unveiled his sixth studio album, which was artfully crafted in response to various tragedies he has encountered.
On Wednesday, Ed Sheeran shared with his 42 million strong fanbase on Instagram that the song “Shape of You” was written in memory of a dear friend he had lost and that he is ‘dancing with my eyes closed to try get through it’.
Accompanying the post, he wrote: ‘Eyes Closed is out 24th march, you can pre-order it now.
‘This song is about losing someone, feeling like every time you go out and you expect to just bump into them, and everything just reminds you of them and things you did together.
‘You sort of have to take yourself out of reality sometimes to numb the pain of loss, but certain things just bring you right back into it.
‘Blue was Jamal’s colour, but now is all I feel. And I guess music helps heal, so I’m dancing with my eyes closed to try get through it x’
As an accompaniment to the images, he posted two monochrome photos of himself deep in contemplation – seemingly pondering on the psychological effects that these previous years have had.
On May 5, Subtract is set to drop with Asylum and Atlantic Records. Fans are expecting it will be a continuation of the artist’s success from their previous albums, maintaining an acoustic feel throughout.
After Ed candidly shared his struggles with suicidal thoughts following the tragic loss of his closest companion Jamal, it was then that he found hope.
Ed described feeling overwhelmed with sorrow when, the following month, Australian cricketer Shane Warne passed away.
In an emotional interview with Rolling Stone, he confessed that his suicidal thoughts caused him shame as they felt ‘selfish’.
Sharing his experience with depression, he uttered: ‘My best friend died. And he shouldn’t have done.
‘I’ve always had real lows in my life. But it wasn’t really till last year that I actually addressed it.
‘I felt like I didn’t want to live anymore. And I have had that throughout my life.… You’re under the waves drowning. You’re just sort of in this thing. And you can’t get out of it.’
He added that the depression seemed “selfish, especially as a father. I feel really embarrassed about it.’
Supported and encouraged by his wife, Cherry Seaborn, Ed began the process of receiving professional help from a therapist.
He said: ‘No one really talks about their feelings where I come from,” he says. ‘People think it’s weird getting a therapist in England… I think it’s very helpful to be able to speak with someone and just vent and not feel guilty about venting.’
He added: ‘The help isn’t a button that is pressed, where you’re automatically OK. It is something that will always be there and just has to be managed.’
During his frank conversation, Ed shared his experiences with alcohol and substance abuse as well as how he eventually overcame them.
He said: ‘I was always a drinker. I didn’t touch any sort of like, drug, until I was 24.
He confessed to using certain substances, yet he hesitated to specify them due to the possibility of his children eventually seeing it written.
Ed stated: ‘I remember just being at a festival and being like, “Well, if all of my friends do it, it can’t be that bad.”
‘And then sort of dabbling. And then it just turns into a habit that you do once a week and then once a day and then, like, twice a day and then, like, without booze. It just became bad vibes.’
Illuminating the reasons behind his departure from hard alcohol, he conveyed that it was once again his wife Cherry who provided him with newfound clarity.
In remembrance, he uttered: ‘Two months before Lyra was born, Cherry said, “If my waters break, do you really want someone else to drive me to the hospital?”
‘Because I was just drinking a lot. And that’s when it clicked. I was like, “No, actually, I really don’t.” And I don’t ever want to be p***ed holding my kid. Ever, ever.
‘Having a couple of beers is one thing. But having a bottle of vodka is another thing. It’s just a realization of, “I’m getting into my thirties. Grow up! You’ve partied, you’ve had this experience. Be happy with that and just be done.”
‘I love red wine, and I love beer. I don’t know any old rockers that aren’t alcoholics or sober, and I didn’t want to be either.’
The untimely demise of Jamal due to a lethal blend of cocaine and alcohol has solidified Ed’s views on drugs.
He adamantly declared: ‘I would never, ever, ever touch anything again, because that’s how Jamal died. And that’s just disrespectful to his memory to even, like, go near.’
