The mega-star singer held his first concert since rapper Macklemore was removed from his tour and other artists dropped out.

Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding Macklemore's removal from his Loop Tour on Saturday night, speaking from the stage at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field during his first concert since the rapper was dropped from the trek.

Before performing any music, Ed Sheeran took the stage Saturday night in Philadelphia to apologize and address Macklemore being dropped from the tour’s US dates over pro-Palestinian remarks made onstage – saying his “heart has been broken” by the Israel-Hamas war and has had to make “difficult decisions.

Macklemore, in a Sept. 14 social media post, announced that he was dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour over his comments on Palestinians and Gaza.

Ed Sheeran shared his side of the story on Tuesday, a day after Macklemore was dropped from the Loop Tour for sharing his pro-Palestine stance onstage. "Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision.

Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside Ed Sheeran ’s concert at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night as the singer returned to the stage for the first time since Macklemore was dropped from his Loop Tour following his onstage remarks in support of Palestine.

"This has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet," Sheeran said

Bill Maher took aim at Macklemore after the rapper was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour over pro-Palestinian remarks, reminding viewers of his controversial past.