Ed Sheeran Gets Emotional After Surprise Guest Joins Him On Stage [VIDEO]

Ed Sheeran had a full-circle moment during his July 13 concert at Portman Road Stadium in the U.K., when he was joined onstage by longtime friend and musical idol James Blunt. Reportedly, the pair performed Blunt’s 2004 hit “Goodbye My Lover” together for the very first time, with Sheeran strumming guitar and Blunt on keys.

Before the emotional duet, Sheeran told the audience how much the moment meant to him. “I rarely get nervous at gigs… I’m very nervous to sing this, because I’ve never sung this with him and this really is a dream come true,” he said.

After the performance, Sheeran admitted he was overwhelmed by the experience. “I’m quite emotional after that actually,” he told the crowd. “That is top three favorite moment on stage ever. Ever.”

Later that evening, Sheeran shared more context on Instagram, revealing that Blunt has been a major influence since he was a teenager. “I bought his album that day, then got obsessed,” he wrote, referencing the first time he saw Blunt open for Elton John at age 13. “His songs moulded me, his performing inspired me. I wanted to be him so much I signed to the same record label as him.”

Ed Sheeran and James Blunt’s Longstanding Friendship

Beyond the stage, Sheeran and Blunt have shared a close friendship for more than a decade, according to People. Sheeran is even the godfather to one of Blunt’s sons. “I asked him to do the final night at Ipswich because of that gig 21 years ago where I saw him at the same venue,” Sheeran said in his Instagram caption.

Blunt made the trip to the U.K. for the appearance just two days after wrapping up his South American tour. “You should be resting, but you flew to Ipswich to sing with me. And it meant the world,” Sheeran wrote. “Top 3 favourite moments on stage of all time for me. Don’t meet your heroes, unless your heroes are James Blunt.”

Their friendship has included everything from music to skiing. In a 2017 interview with People, Blunt shared that he once gave Sheeran ski lessons while Sheeran helped him get back in touch with his songwriting roots. “I stopped writing really open lyrics,” Blunt said. “He brought back my authenticity and confidence.”

20 Years Later, James Blunt Reveals The Truth Behind His Hit ‘You’re Beautiful’

Just a month before their duet, Blunt revealed the truth behind the song that helped launch his career, per Entertainment Weekly. To mark the 20th anniversary of “You’re Beautiful,” Blunt shared a video on X revealing what the lyrics were really about.

“Whoever thought a song about being high as a kite on drugs, stalking someone else’s girlfriend, would resonate quite so much?” he joked. “You guys are beautiful.”

While the song was long assumed to be romantic, Blunt has admitted for years that it’s more unsettling than sweet. In a 2020 essay for The Guardian, he described seeing an ex with her new boyfriend on the London Underground. “Our eyes met, but we just walked past each other,” he wrote, calling the lyrics “a bit creepy.”

Blunt also revealed the original line about being “f—ing high” had to be edited for radio. “I was f—ing high!” he told his label before agreeing to the milder “flying high” version.

Despite the song’s massive success, Blunt admitted in 2014 that it eventually became overplayed. “There was one song that was force-fed down people’s throats, ‘You’re Beautiful,’ and it became annoying,” he said. “But I think it’s turned that corner now.”