Ed Sheeran announces he's quit UK in bombshell announcement

Ed Sheeran has stunned fans by revealing he is about to leave Suffolk behind for a new life in America with wife Cherry Seaborn and their two young daughters. The 34-year-old hitmaker confirmed the move on the 2 Johnnies podcast, explaining that constant touring made it impossible to split his time between two countries.

"I'm just about to move to America," Ed said. "I feel like I might be the only person moving to America. I'm going on tour there for a while and I have a family so I can't dip in and out. We're going and settling there." The announcement comes just weeks before the release of his latest album Play, out on September 12. While he will head out on a major US tour, there are just two UK dates on the schedule - Coventry on December 5 and Manchester on December 7.

The move marks the end of an era for "Sheeranville," his £3.7million rural Suffolk estate complete with a gym, swimming pool, tree house and its own bungalow.

It is where he wrote many of his biggest hits, but now the sprawling property will be left behind as the family of four cross the Atlantic.

While America offers a fresh start, Ed admits he will miss his beloved Ipswich Town. The singer owns a 1.4 per cent stake in the club and has even been its shirt sponsor.

"I went to almost every game last season," he said. "I think I can only make one this season because I'm moving to the States."

The Grammy-winner has long spoken of his desire to move Stateside, previously hinting at Nashville as his dream location.

On the Call Her Daddy podcast, he revealed: "Nashville is my favourite city in the States and it's always been my end goal to move to Nashville and transition to country."

Suffolk has produced its fair share of household names, from Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes to the late EastEnders legend June Brown, but Ed has arguably done more than anyone to put the county on the global map.

His track Castle on the Hill is widely seen as a love letter to his roots.

Ed's ties to Suffolk run deep in his personal life too. He first met Cherry when they were children, reconnecting years later in New York in 2015.

They tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2018 and welcomed daughters Lyra in 2020 and Jupiter in 2022. Ed also revealed that fatherhood has given him a new sense of purpose.

Speaking on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he admitted: "I really didn't have a purpose outside of [music] because when I was giving myself fixed time of no work, I wasn't doing anything I enjoyed because I love doing music.

"And [being a dad] has actually given me purpose and something in life that's actually more important than my job."