Ed Sheeran reveals shock new job as he spends £8.25m on central London base
BESIDES being a global pop superstar, Ed Sheeran has done everything from acting to opening a bar and launching a hot sauce range over the years.
But his latest venture is rather less glamorous — he has become an office manager.
I can reveal Ed has snapped up the freehold to a valuable bit of working space in London’s Soho, splashing out £8.25million to secure it.
It is his biggest-ever commercial purchase and is likely to see city workers doing their jobs while completely oblivious to the fact that one of the most famous blokes on the planet is in charge of the building.
It means Ed now has £70million of investment property held through his private companies, not including the sprawling Suffolk estate he shares with wife Cherry and their two daughters.
A description of the newly refurbished office, with space for 50 desks, says: “The building’s refined design has great natural light across an open-plan arrangement with fitted kitchenette and breakfast bar, bespoke glass phone booths and Crittall-style meeting rooms, all finished to an exquisite quality.”
Massive villa
I suppose Ed needs something to put his cash into, given that he is making so much of it.
He owns at least 27 other properties in London, including a £20million house in Notting Hill and places in other sought-after areas such as Holland Park and Covent Garden.
Most of those are rented out, but the Thinking Out Loud singer also has a massive villa in Italy surrounded by vineyards.
Ed has been pretty quiet since the latest leg of his Mathematics world tour ended in September, and he won’t be back on the road until May, although I imagine there will be a new album before then.
Meanwhile there will be something else to keep fans pleased.
Next Friday he will release a festive single called Under The Tree, which will feature in Richard Curtis’s new Netflix film That Christmas, which is out on the same day.
Ed has claimed the Christmas No1 spot twice before, so I won’t be surprised if he gets the a hat-trick this year.
That will be as good a reason as any for a proper office knees-up at his new place.
Bra-vo, Charli
CHARLI XCX has spent months on a sellout tour of North America but she came back home with a bang for a gig on Saturday night.
The Apple singer performed an intimate show at Here At Outernet in central London, ahead of the start of her Brat arena tour, which kicks off in Manchester on Wednesday.
Charli wore this T-shirt featuring a picture of a bra for finance-tech firm Revolut’s Revolutionaries event, to celebrate it hitting 50million customers.
She sang tunes including 360, Von Dutch, Sympathy Is A Knife and her single Speed Drive from last year’s Barbie soundtrack.
I was knackered just watching her strut around the stage, so I hope she gets some rest before her big UK gigs kick off.
Kim’s life upturned by dolls tour axe
THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS are still feeling the effects of axing their reunion tour amid a row between Nicole Scherzinger and their manager Robin Antin – four years on from the blow.
Kimberly Wyatt has revealed cancelling the 2020 comeback left her with no cash and no work.
She explained: “You end lots of your work to open up all this space to go on the road, so when it all comes crashing down it was panic mode.
“Three young kids, paying school fees and all these things – it changed our world.
“We’ve had to rejig our entire life because of it.”
Now Kimberly has teased that the group could return without their fiery frontwoman.
She told the Mile Fly Club podcast: “That is not my choice to make as I don’t own the group. But the brand could.”
She added: “I don’t know what the future of the Pussycat Dolls holds, and I don’t know if I have the power to make anything happen, but I’m always looking for opportunities to bring the girls back together.
“I am in touch with Robin mostly, and the girls, and sort of Nicole – she’s very elusive and very busy.
“It’s hard to find out what she wants to do next and where she stands with the group.”
Destiny’s chilled reunion for Bey
A TRIP to the theatre might warrant putting on a nice dress and getting spruced up, but Beyonce went much further than that for a night on Broadway.
She shared these snaps wearing a silver leotard, which I cannot imagine would have been that comfortable while she was squished into a fold-up seat.
Beyonce was in New York with her mum Tina Knowles and former Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland to support the group’s third member Michelle Williams, who has just made her debut in a stage musical version of hit 1992 film Death Becomes Her.
Given that we’re now in the depths of winter, I’m just surprised Bey didn’t catch her death dressed like that.
Liam tribute at Zayn gig
ZAYN MALIK paid tribute to late bandmate Liam Payne as he kicked off his debut solo tour, just days after his friend was laid to rest.
He performed a sold-out concert at the O2 Academy Leeds on Saturday and beamed up this message at the end of his show, leading to tears from several fans in the crowd.
Zayn didn’t address Liam’s death on stage and seemed in surprisingly good spirits.
The Pillowtalk singer has previously battled with anxiety, which prevented him performing but he is now set to play across the country before continuing his tour in America.
Bradford-born Zayn, who lives in the US, told the crowd: “It’s good to be back up north, I can’t lie.
“I got a doner kebab yesterday.
“I’ve missed that s**t.”
Back with a Wham!
WHAM! are at No4 in the midweek charts with Last Christmas, despite there being another month to go before the big day.
The single is celebrating its 40th year and was 2023’s festive chart-topper.
Now it is being tipped to land the honour again.
According to Official Charts data, Gracie Abrams is set to stay at No1 on Friday with That’s So True.
Paris: ‘All natural’ beauty
EVERYONE in Hollywood seems to have had work done, but Paris Hilton claims she’s all real.
On the Zach Sang Show podcast, she said: “I feel really proud that I’m all natural,” adding that she has, “never done Botox, no surgery . . . nothing.”
Instead, Paris says a home spa and sun protection are the secret to looking much younger than her 43 years.
She explained: “My mom told me when I was eight, ‘Paris, stay out of the sun.’
“Then she taught me this amazing ten-step skincare routine.”
Of her home spa, Paris added: “It has the most epic LED lights, Hydra- Facial machines, hyperbaric chamber, cryotherapy.
“It’s basically like a real spa.”
This week in Bizness…
WEDNESDAY: Robbie Williams will be in London’s Leicester Square for the UK premiere of his biopic Better Man, directed by The Greatest Showman filmmaker Michael Gracey, ahead of its release on Boxing Day.
THURSDAY: The Rolling Stone UK Awards take place at North London’s Roundhouse, hosted by comic Jayde Adams, with New Order there to receive the prestigious Icon Award.
FRIDAY: It’s time to get transported to far sunnier and warmer climes as Moana 2, starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, hits cinemas.
SUNDAY: American indie band Vampire Weekend kick off their UK tour at Manchester’s O2 Apollo ahead of shows in Wolverhampton, Glasgow and London
Lana joins UK gig-fest
AFTER her headline festival performances at Reading and Leeds this year, Lana Del Rey is coming back to the UK.
I’m told the American star will today announce a series of huge British stadium shows for next summer.
My mole said: “Lana’s team have been planning these stadium shows for a long time and Lana cannot wait to come back to the UK.
“She will play massive concerts at Anfield and Wembley among others in the summer.
“They think the shows will sell out fast so Lana’s fans need to be quick.”
Next year is shaping up to be an amazing one for live music.
As well as Lana, my insiders have told me the Rolling Stones and Beyonce are soon to announce major stadium shows on our shores.
In the coming weeks, Ariana Grande is also set to unveil a series of gigs here.
Other acts hitting the road include Oasis, Dua Lipa, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter and Usher, who will all perform in Blighty next year.
Katy Perry is returning too and will perform across the country in October.
I’m not one to wish away time but next summer – with Glastonbury and all the festivals in between – is going to be incredible for live music fans.
Bring it on.