Not a dry eye in the house as Ed Sheeran breaks down on stage singing new song at music legend Michael Gudinski’s state funeral

Ed Sheeran performed an emotional new track in honour of Australian music legend Michael Gudinski, after flying into the country for his late friend’s state memorial.

While spending two weeks in quarantine, as per Aussie pandemic guidelines, Ed penned new song Visiting Hours, as he dealt with the grief upon Gudinski’s death earlier this month.

Taking to the stage at Rod Laver Arena on Thursday evening in Melbourne, Ed broke down in tears while performing the song, needing a short moment to regain his composure before carrying on.

The Shape Of You hitmaker appeared alongside the likes of Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes to perform for the funeral of the Mushroom Group founder, who is credited for revolutionising the Australian music industry, and shared three songs.

After performing two of Gudinski’s favourites, Castle On The Hill and The A Team, Ed debuted Visiting Hours and there was not a dry eye in the house as he did so.

The lyrics included reference to Ed’s baby daughter with wife Cherry Seaborn, Lyra, as he sang: ‘I wish that heaven had visiting hours, so I could just show up, and bring the news / That she’s getting older, and I wish that you’d met her, things that she’ll learn from me, I got them all from you.’

Sharing how nervous he was, apologising should he miss any of his lyrics, Ed – who was dressed in a black suit with a red, black and white striped tie many felt was a nod to Gudinski’s sports team – reflected on meeting Gudinski, who brought the star down under for his first massive tour of the country before the pair became close friends.

He said when he first met the entrepreneur he felt he was ‘very professional’, going on: ‘We did our first tour with him and soon after that I quickly realised that he was just a barrel of laughs.

‘Everywhere he went he lifted the room and then f**ked off.’

Following the news of Gudinski’s death, Sheeran posted an emotional message on social media, following a shot of the pair standing on a beach, which had the simple caption: ‘I’ll miss you mate.’

He later shared a longer message, describing his friend, mentor and ‘father figure’ as a ‘tornado of joy’.

Ed also joined Kylie – whose career was launched by Gudinski in the 80s with absolutel banger The Loco-motion – as they performed her breakout track as well as All The Lovers for the mourners present.

Stars sent in their messages of condolence and memories of the mighty Gudinski, with Taylor Swift saying via video: ‘I met Michael through work but it became very apparent to me that he cared about me as a person and this was a friendship and he had my back.

‘I had spent birthdays with Michael and [his wife] Sue. They’ve opened up their home to me.

‘I will never forget the wonderful times in my life that came about because of Michael, because he believed in me.’

Sir Elton John also shared a message, saying: ‘Musicians from all over the world wanted to come to Australia so that they could work for him because he loved music so much.

‘He took care of his artists. He became their friends and their confidants. Not many people in the business can do that…We will cherish his memory and we will miss him.’

Earlier this month it was confirmed the founder of music label Mushroom Group, as well as Frontier Touring, died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Melbourne.

The larger-than-life music figure founded Mushroom in 1972 when he was 20, with it eventually becoming the country’s largest independent entertainment group.

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