Ed Sheeran was in attendance at Alexandra Palace on Friday to watch the World Darts Championship, where he was forced into some crowd participation of a different style to what he’s used to
Ed Sheeran could not escape the wrath of the legendary Alexandra Palace crowd after dropping in to watch some darts on Friday.
Sheeran was sporting a baseball cap when he rocked up to the World Darts Championship, but was still spotted by the Sky Sports cameras and the rest of the crowd. The 33-year-old must have known that he would be coaxed into the revelry around him – and he certainly got into the spirit of things.
The singer-songwriter is no stranger to being recognised at sporting events, having been a regular present at Portman Road to watch his beloved Ipswich Town this season. And that connection made him an easy target for the boozy Ally Pally crowd.
As soon as Sheeran appeared on the big screen, he likely knew what was going to happen. A chant of “Ipswich get battered everywhere they go” started and was picked up by the crowd, much to the enjoyment of Sheeran’s friends on his table.
Ipswich may only have two wins from 16 Premier League games this season, but they are only two points from safety and are in a better position than Wolves and Southampton. Sheeran playfully sweared back while downing his drink.
Sheeran is used to crowd interaction when he’s on stage singing, yet the darts comes with a very different type. “Have you ever seen Sheeran down a pint?” was chanted, prompting the singer to stand up and see off his drink to roars of approval.
He put his cup on top of his head, in the time honoured tradition, and built up quite a stack of empties as the afternoon wore on. Sheeran took plenty of photos with fans who approached him and seemed to enjoy the occasion immensely.
His presence in the crowd was appreciated at the oche, too, with crowd favourite Stephen Bunting speaking about him after coming from behind to beat Kai Gotthardt 3-1 and book his place in the third round. “I had a few ‘bad habits’ in that game,” Bunting joked. “My manager told me earlier that he was here, and I was shell-shocked.
“I must have something about gingers. I’ve had Prince Harry here before watching me, now Ed Sheeran. It’s amazing. I’m a massive fan of his as well, even though he supports Ipswich, he’s sound.”
Bunting then referenced Sheeran’s recent appearance on Sky Sports after Ipswich drew with Manchester United at Portman Road. “I’m surprised he’s not coming in to disrupt the interview, to be honest,” he joked.
“But it would’ve been really nice to meet him. I’m a massive fan of his music. I’ve got some of his songs flying through my head.”
He added: “My lad had a few moments with him, which he’ll tell me on the way home. We need high-profile people coming to watch us. It really does spur us on when we’re on that stage.”
Learn more
