UK superstar Ed Sheeran plays tourist at Saint game, Mornington Peninsula

Superstar Ed Sheeran has stepped out with Michael Gudinski’s family, cheering on the legendary promoter’s beloved Saints.

Singing superstar Ed Sheeran is playing tourist while in Victoria after making the sad trip from the UK to pay his respects to his mentor and dear friend, Michael Gudinski.

Sheeran spent Saturday afternoon at the Sorrento Hotel where he happily posed for a photo with the venue’s managers Myles and Marcus Pitt.

He was later seen in a corporate box at Marvel Stadium, sporting a St Kilda scarf to watch the Saints take on the Demons.

It would seem he and his family are in no hurry to head home after travelling to Australia and undertaking mandatory quarantine.

Ed Sheeran joined the Gudinski family in a corporate box at the footy. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Ed Sheeran sitting with Matt Gudinski. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The international star smiles at Michael Gudinski’s widow, Sue. Picture: Dylan Burns

Sheeran is no stranger to Australia, having spent time in Port Douglas and Sydney in between tours. And with the UK still in the grip of COVID-19, why would you rush home?

Sheeran, his wife Cherry and their daughter Lyra spent two weeks in quarantine at the Sweven Estate, near Cattai in New South Wales, after flying in from the UK following Gudinski’s passing earlier this month.

The singer wrote the song Visiting Hours as a tribute to Gudinski while in quarantine and performed it at the music titan’s emotional State Memorial at Rod Laver Arena last Wednesday.

Ed Sheeran plays a newly written song, Visiting Hours at Michael Gudinski's state memorial service.

Ed Sheeran with the late Michael Gudinski in 2018. Picture: Matt Jelonek/WireImage

He said, “Michael would be buzzed that this was at Rod Laver Arena.”

“In lockdown I was able to have a guitar for quarantine and I always find the best way to process stuff is to write songs, be it good news, bad news or whatever … here is a song I finished last week,” he said before playing the track to the 7000 people at the memorial.

Sheeran burst into tears during the final moments of the song, but finished his touching tribute before emotionally walking off-stage.

Ed Sheeran at the Sorrento Hotel with Myles and Marcus Pitt. Picture: Supplied

Ed Sheeran and Matt Gudinski get tattoos in memory of the late Michael Gudinski at @greystreettattoo Picture: Instagram

Admitting he was “nervous”, Sheeran spoke of meeting Gudinski for the first time in 2011 and called him “a tornado of joy, everywhere he went he lifted the room and f---ed off.”

Sheeran and Gudinski’s son Matt got tattoos featuring Gudinski’s signature pose — the single finger representing No.1 in the air – at Grey Street Tattoo in St Kilda on Friday.

Matt, who is the executive director of Mushroom Group, got the tattoo on his right upper arm. Sheeran got the tattoo on his right forearm.

[e-mail]