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Ed Sheeran didn’t realise his docuseries would focus on mental health: “I thought we were making a documentary on my album”

“I hope other people find it more entertaining than I do.”

Ed Sheeran performing

Image: Dave J Hogan / Getty Images

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Ed Sheeran has released a new docuseries on streaming platform Disney+, but it seems the popstar didn’t realise it would focus so heavily on mental health and grief.

The Sum Of It All, which is available to stream now, is a four-part series which showcases the journey of how the singer and guitarist brought to life his most recent album, – (Subtract).

As well as its musical focus though, it also explores Sheeran’s experience with grief and his own mental health following the death of his friend and collaborator Jamal Edwards, as well as his wife’s cancer diagnosis during her pregnancy.

“It’s uncomfortable for me to watch, I haven’t really like sat down and binged it,” he told Extra (via MSN). “I hope other people find it more entertaining than I do.”

He went on to add, “I didn’t actually really realise that they were making a documentary on grief and mental health, I thought we were making a documentary on my album,” he explained. “And then I saw [the final product] and I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Cool.’”

Announced back in March, Sheeran had said in a statement at the time, “I’ve always been very guarded in my personal and private life; the only documentary I’ve ever made has been one that focused on my songwriting.

“Disney approached me to make a four-part documentary, and it felt like the right time to open the door and let people in. I hope people enjoy it,” he concluded.

In other Sheeran news, the singer-songwriter also prevailed in a copyright infringement lawsuit earlier this month (May) that claimed his track Thinking Out Loud copied the sheet music from the Marvin Gaye classic Let’s Get It On.

“I’m obviously very happy with the outcome of the case,” he said. “And it looks like I’m not having to retire from my day job after all.”

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