Ed Sheeran has responded to backlash over his choice of attire while performing next to an extravagantly-dressed Beyonce in South Africa. A photo of the global superstars at the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 in Johannesburg, in which the British singer opted for a causal jeans and tee combo while Beyoncé wowed in a hot pink dress, sparked a heated debate.

However, Ed, 27, saw the funny side of the situation as he took to his Instagram Stories by sharing a story written about the drama and also offered a link for his followers to buy his black top.

Ed, who is known for his usual casual displays, shared a story titled: ‘People Are Angry Ed Sheeran Wore a Shirt while Beyoncé Wore Couture During their Global Citizen Performance.’

He went on to offer a closer look at the shirt, which had HOAXUKSINCE94 written on it’, alongside the comments #dressedtoimpress and ‘swipe up to get the look.’

Many felt that the singers, who performed their duet ‘perfect’ together, offered a reflection on the different expectations put on men and women when it comes to clothes.

@sillyolddaniel added: ‘This photo is v v v v representative of what we expect from men and women at the top of their game, isn’t it?’

Plenty disagreed: @TheAntiStan wrote: ‘There is definitely a double standard regarding the acceptable public appearance of men and women. But this is more an example of celebrity brands. Beyonce has a brand.

https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/ed-sheeran-has-perfect-response-to-comments-he-was-underdressed-for-beyonc-duet-a4010391.html