Ed Sheeran has a life-size bronze statue of Michael Gudinski at his home pub in the UK

It’s perfectly normal for a global superstar like Ed Sheeran to have a pub built at his home, but the addition of one particular item from Melbourne makes it rather peculiar indeed.

Superstar Ed Sheeran has revealed he celebrates milestones with a bronze statue of the late Australian music boss, Michael Gudinski, at a pub ... in his home.

Sheeran said Mushroom trailblazer and concert promoter Gudinski wanted to gift him a Rolex watch after a million-ticket-selling tour Down Under.

“I have a pub in my house,” Sheeran said, matter-of-factly, on a LiSTNR podcast.

“I felt like I wanted to have him (Gudinski) always in the pub, so I asked him to get a bronze statue of himself made, which he did.”

Ed Sheeran has a life-size statute of Michael Gudinski in his home pub. Picture: Brian Purnell

The five-part podcast, hosted by Gudinski’s daughter, Kate, sparked her to ask: “Michael Gudinski – my dad – is a man important enough to have a bronze statue of himself ... in Ed Sheeran’s pub?”

Michael Gudinski died in March 2021. He was 68.

“The night that he passed away, I woke up at half three to the phone call,” Sheeran said.

“And the first thing I did is I went into the wine cellar, picked out the wine that I bought for him, staying at my house the year before, and went and had a drink with the statue.”

Sheeran added: “It was just a really nice thing. And that’s what I do on his birthday it’s what I did on the day of my album release, it’s what I did on the day of my single release.

“I just go and have a drink with him and I feel very fortunate to be able to have this thing in my house.”

Ed Sheeran in action at the MCG. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Mushroom Group chief Matt Gudinski, Mark Seymour and Ed Sheeran at the MCG. Picture: Brian Purnell

Gudinski and Sheeran formed a close bond across many tours and visits.

Sheeran said he considered the Australian music giant to be a confidant and father figure.

The podcast finds Kate unpacking her father’s legacy, from signing music icons Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes, to touring superstars Madonna and The Rolling Stones.

“I’ve had a front-row seat to my dad’s legendary career; watching him rub shoulders with some of the most famous people in the world, hosting rock stars for dinner at our family home, and running the show.

“There’s no one else like him. He used his platform and his influence to champion the Australian music scene.”