Ed Sheeran reveals how he met Shane Warne

Ed Sheeran has spoken about how he first met the “lovely” Shane Warne and just what the Aussie legend did for the Brit’s starstruck dad.

Ed Sheeran has revealed how he met great mate Shane Warne during an emotional appearance on The Project.

After Carrie Bickmore asked how the pair bonded, Sheeran said: “We met in 2014, when I was doing the Logies. He was staying at the hotel next to me, and do you remember he had that club at Crown?”

(Sheeran was referring to Warne’s Club 23, which closed in 2019.)

“He took me and my friends there, and that was like the first time I’d hung out with him,” Sheeran said, describing Warne as “a lovely person inside and out”.

But that wasn’t the last of Warne’s noted generosity.

“Then – mate, he used to do some really amazing things. I’ve got some friends that are huge into cricket, and he just offered one day like, ‘Do you want me to take them to the nets at Lord’s [in London]?’

Shane Warne with Ed Sheeran. Picture: Instagram

“You guys know – the heart of that bloke was so big, and he’s just such a lovely person inside and out. There’s so many stories like that.”

Sheeran also recalled another memory with the superstar leg-spinner, while the Brit was doing his first stadium tour of Australia back in 2015.

“He took me in the nets at the MCG. He was bowling against my dad, and my dad was doing the hits and everything,” Sheeran said.

“Then I sort of whispered to him, ‘Give him one proper Shane Warne ball’ – man, they fly don’t they! They really fly.”

It comes as Sheeran will pay tribute to two of his best mates, Michael Gudinski and Warne, with a special concert during his Australian stadium tour next year.

Shane Warne with Ed Sheeran. Picture: Instagram

The Bad Habits superstar will bring his Mathematics world tour down under in February and has booked the MCG for his Melbourne gig on March 2.

That will be the second anniversary of Gudinski’s sudden death last year and two days ahead of the first anniversary of Warne’s equally shocking passing.

Frontier Touring head and Sheeran’s close friend Matt Gudinski said “the stars aligned” for the British pop star to realise his dream of playing the MCG and shooting to break Adele’s record for the biggest concert in Australian history.

With the Mathematics concert staged in the round, Sheeran has a good shot at the record.

“That has been a dream of Ed’s and my dad’s and mine; it’s going to be a special night, an emotional night,” Gudinski said.

Ed Sheeran called Shane Warne a “lovely person inside and out”. Picture: Instagram

“And Shane was such a very close friend of Ed’s, we all spent many a time together backstage at Ed’s shows whether in Australia or at Wembley stadium in London.

“With the Shane Warne Stand becoming official in a couple of weeks, it adds another special touch to the night.”

The Mathematics tour next year opens at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on February 17 and then travels to Sydney’s Accor Stadium on February 24, the MCG, Adelaide Oval on March 7 and Perth’s Optus Stadium on March 12.

Sheeran revealed he had only been speaking to Warne two days before he was felled by a massive heart attack in Thailand, when they both vowed to raise a glass of the late entrepreneur’s favourite drop Penfold 707.

Ed Sheeran is touring Australia again next year. Picture: Getty

“Shane was the kindest heart, and always went above and beyond to make people feel welcome and special. Such a gentleman. He gave so many hours and years of his life to bring joy to others, and was such an amazing friend to me. I’ll bloody miss you mate. Absolutely gutted,” he concluded.

Gudinski said he expects Sheeran will play some part in the memorial service for Warne at the MCG on March 30.

The pop star is currently fighting a plagiarism case in London’s High Court over claims his monster 2017 hit Shape Of You ripped off a song called Oh Why by UK rapper Sami switch.

And he is also in rehearsals for his UK warm-up shows ahead of the launch of the Mathematics global tour in April.

“He would have wanted to come out and be a part of it but he’s got a few things going on.” Gudinski said.

Ed Sheeran and Michael Gudinski. Picture: Supplied

“We are expecting and hoping he will have some involvement; Ed and Shane were really close and I know Ed wants to acknowledge him and honour him as best he can.”

Sheeran confirming his return here in 2023 comes as his fellow British chart-toppers Coldplay started teasing the announce of the Australian dates for their Music of The Spheres world tour on social media on Tuesday.

It is believed Coldplay, who kick off their global jaunt in Latin America this week, will contribute to Warne’s memorial as Chris Martin and the Australian cricketer were also good mates.

Tickets for Sheeran’s shows will be protected by anti-scalping measures. A Frontier Touring pre-sale opens on March 21 with general tickets on sale from March 23. All ticket details via frontiertouring.com

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