LONDON: Ed Sheeran is facing growing fallout over the removal of Macklemore from his Loop Tour following the US rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks, with an Irish radio station pulling the British singer’s music from its playlists and some fans reportedly struggling to resell tickets.

Classic Hits Radio said on Thursday that it would stop playing Sheeran’s music “for the foreseeable future” following listener reaction to the controversy, British media reported.

The decision comes after all of Sheeran’s remaining support acts — Finneas, Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe — as well as his backing band, Irish folk group Beoga, withdrew from the tour following Macklemore’s removal.

Classic Hits Radio said its decision was not a “personal judgment” on Sheeran and acknowledged his explanation that removing Macklemore had not been his decision.

Dave Kelly, group program director at the station’s parent company Bay Broadcasting, said: “As an independent Irish-owned radio station, however, we believe it is important to listen to our audience and to stand alongside Irish artists who have made what is undoubtedly a significant professional decision based on their own convictions.”

The station said the decision would remain under review.

The backlash also appears to be affecting ticket resales for the remaining dates of Sheeran’s tour.

Fans seeking to offload tickets have complained about difficulty finding buyers, while resale prices for some upcoming concerts have fallen below face value, The Independent reported.

The outlet cited TicketData, which tracks resale prices, as showing prices for Sheeran’s next concert in Philadelphia on Sept. 19 falling 29 percent over the previous week on verified resale platforms including StubHub and SeatGeek.

Posts on a Facebook group dedicated to reselling tickets for Sheeran’s Loop Tour also showed some fans attempting to sell tickets without receiving offers.

The fallout began after Macklemore used a Sept. 4 performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to voice support for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The rapper, who was scheduled to support Sheeran at eight remaining US dates, was subsequently removed from the lineup after several venues said they would not host concerts featuring him. Tour promoter Messina Touring Group said the decision followed objections from venue owners.

Sheeran later denied being personally involved in removing Macklemore, saying he had spent days trying to find a way to keep the rapper on the tour but that the final decision had been made by the promoter.

He also defended his decision not to publicly express his views on the war in Gaza, saying he prefers to use his music to “bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together” rather than using it for politics.

“I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care,” Sheeran said in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Macklemore has been an outspoken supporter of Palestinians and in 2024 released “Hind’s Hall,” a protest song named after Hind Rajab, the 6-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza that year.

The rapper said this week that he would donate $1 million in earnings from Sheeran’s tour to organizations providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. He also challenged Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium and one of the venue owners who objected to his appearance, to match the donation.

Kraft subsequently said he would contribute $2 million toward humanitarian aid in the region.

Sheeran’s Loop Tour is scheduled to resume in Philadelphia on Sept. 19 and continue through North America and South America, with its final concert set for Mexico City on Dec. 11.