Ed Sheeran opens up about eating disorder battle triggered by comparing himself to other pop stars
ED Sheeran also opened up about having an eating disorder triggered by unfavourably comparing himself to other pop stars.
He told how he always felt “fat” and believes he has a similar relationship with food as Sir Elton John, who has previously spoken about having bulimia.
Ed said: “I’m self-conscious anyway, but you get into an industry where you’re getting compared to every other pop star.
“I was in the One Direction wave, and I’m like, ‘Well, why don’t I have a six pack?’
“And I was like, ‘Oh, because you love kebabs and drink beer’.
“Then you do songs with Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes.
“All these people have fantastic figures. And I was always like, ‘Well, why am I so . . . fat?’ ”
He continued: “So I found myself doing what Elton talks about in his book — gorging, and then it would come up again.”
Ed said he admitted feeling “mad uncomfortable” talking about it “as a man” but said “it’s good to be honest”.
He went on: “I have a real eating problem. I’m a real binge eater. I’m a binge everything.
“But I’m now more of a binge exerciser, and a binge dad. And work, obviously.”