Speaking to fellow musician George Ezra for his new podcast, the Perfect singer admitted that he felt pressure to slim down in the early days of his career, and was comparing himself to One Direction and Justin Bieber constantly.
"I was like, ‘They’re so photogenic and they’ve got six packs… and I should look like that,"
"I had zero insecurities before I became a singer - and I was born with ginger hair," the Grammy-winner joked
"I didn't care. I'd have a beer belly, ginger hair, wouldn't wash and wear scraggly clothes.
"But as soon as you become in the public eye and people start picking holes in you, you start thinking things are bad for you. Like, 'Am I fat?'"
Sheeran also told Ezra that when he first met him 3 years ago he was "doing no carbohydrates and just drinking vodka and slim tonic".
However Sheeran has replaced crash diets with a more sensible routine which allows him to eat "what he wants once he exercises every day".
Fair play Ed!
