Ed Sheeran's tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore

NEW: All support acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour, including Finneas and Lukas Graham, quit in solidarity with Macklemore after the rapper was dropped over pro-Palestinian statements. Sheeran says he was not responsible for the decision.

Ed Sheeran's entire US support lineup just walked out on him.

Every opening act on the tour, including Finneas and Lukas Graham, quit in solidarity with Macklemore. The rapper was dropped from the bill over his pro-Palestinian statements, and the rest of the undercard decided that if he goes, they all go.

Sheeran, for his part, says the decision to cut Macklemore wasn't his. Which may well be true, promoters and sponsors make these calls all the time. But it's his name on the ticket, and it's his tour that now has to fill arenas with no opening acts and a very loud story attached.

So the man who sells out stadiums with a loop pedal and a guitar suddenly has the loneliest stage in America. Whoever made the call to drop Macklemore, Ed Sheeran is the one paying for it.

This is Sara White, reporting for HIT.