AceShowbiz - Ed Sheeran has responded to recent reports suggesting he attended a New Year's Eve party hosted by J.K. Rowling at her Scottish residence, Killiechassie House. The "Shape of You" singer took to his Instagram Stories on January 21 to refute the claims initially reported by The Sun newspaper that he was among celebrities like Daniel Craig and musicians from U2 and The Pretenders at the event.

"Respectfully, India Willoughby, and any other journalist who has reported both these stories, neither are true. I spent New Years with my friends and family," Sheeran wrote in response to a post by broadcaster India Willoughby.

In addition, he disputed another story alleging that he had "brought joy" to wounded soldiers from the Israeli Defence Force at one of his concerts. Sheeran clarified that tickets were sourced by a charity for a public concert in Cyprus. "This kind of reporting is divisive and damaging, please research before you post things," he said.

A number of stars including the lead cast of "Harry Potter" movies have distanced themselves from J.K. Rowling following her controversial comments on trans rights, including her December 2024 tweet, "no child is born in the wrong body" and "there are no trans kids."

The original report by The Sun has since removed any mention of Sheeran, and the Daily Express has also retracted their report on the topic.

On a more positive note, Ed Sheeran recently achieved his eighth No. 1 on the U.K.'s Official Albums Chart with his "Tour Collection" album. He has also announced the launch of the Ed Sheeran Foundation, which aims to support music education in schools, reflecting his commitment to positive community contributions amidst the controversy.