Off with his Ed! Shaggy red-haired waxwork unveiled in German museum is meant to resemble singer Sheeran - but do YOU think it looks like him?

By Sean O'grady For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A new wax figure of Ed Sheeran has been unveiled at the Panoptikum Hamburg wax museum in Germany.

The figure does indeed bear a strong resemblance to the singer, 32, and sees him carrying his guitar on his shoulder.

The wax work is dressed in Ed's signature casual attire, wearing a black T-shirt and loose-fitting navy jeans.

The figure is also sporting Ed's signature shaggy ginger hair along with a short beard and a pair of red sneakers.

Ed's waxwork will join several other figures in the museum including replicas of Angelina Jolie, Queen Elizabeth II, Karl Lagerfeld and Henry VIII.

Life like: A new wax figure of Ed Sheeran has been unveiled at the Panoptikum Hamburg wax museum in Germany

Life like: A new wax figure of Ed Sheeran has been unveiled at the Panoptikum Hamburg wax museum in Germany

Resemblance: The figure does indeed bear a strong resemblance to the singer, 32, and sees him carrying his guitar on his shoulder
Resemblance: Ed pictured inJune 2023

Resemblance: The figure does indeed bear a strong resemblance to the singer, 32, and sees him carrying his guitar on his shoulder

The new wax figure comes after Ed topped the UK music charts with his latest album, the critically acclaimed Subtract following a backdrop of challenging life events. 

The singer-songwriter's sixth studio album, went straight to no. 1, extending his 'flawless run of chart-topping albums', the Official Charts Company said.

Subtract was written during a difficult year which saw his wife Cherry Seaborn diagnosed with a tumour while pregnant, the death of his close friend Jamal Edwards and a copyright battle over his 2017 hit Shape Of You.

The record is the fastest-selling album of 2023 so far, shifting 76,000 chart units in its opening week, with nearly three-quarters made up of physical copies, it was also the best-selling vinyl album of the week.

Ed has said he used the album to channel the intense emotions which emerged from this difficult time, describing the songwriting process as his 'therapy'. 

After it topped the charts, the Official Charts Company added: 'Subtract also sees Ed edge ahead of The 1975 in the list of acts to have reached the summit with all of their studio albums, now boasting six to the latter's five.'

During an intimate show with Apple Music Live at the Eventim Apollo in London on Wednesday, the singer dedicated two songs to the his late friend Jamal as he discussed his grief and revealed: 'I'm still not over it, I don't want to be.' 

Ed was left heart-broken, battling depression after his friend's shock death explaining how he wished everyone would stand still 'like when the Queen died.' 

Outfit: The wax work is dressed in Ed's signature casual attire, wearing a black T-shirt and loose-fitting navy jeans

Outfit: The wax work is dressed in Ed's signature casual attire, wearing a black T-shirt and loose-fitting navy jeans

Close up: The figure is also sporting Ed's signature shaggy ginger hair along with a short beard and a pair of red sneakers

Close up: The figure is also sporting Ed's signature shaggy ginger hair along with a short beard and a pair of red sneakers

Good company: Ed's wax work will join several other figures in the museum including replicas of Angelina Jolie, Karl Lagerfeld and Henry VIII

Good company: Ed's wax work will join several other figures in the museum including replicas of Angelina Jolie, Karl Lagerfeld and Henry VIII

Cutting corners: The wax figure of Queen Elizabeth II at Panoptikum doesn't even feature a full head of hair because it was covered up with a hat
Shocking: The waxwork looked nothing like the Queen (pictured in 2005)

Cutting corners: The wax figure of Queen Elizabeth II at Panoptikum doesn't even feature a full head of hair because it was covered up with a hat (the late royal pictured right in 2005)

Hmm: The wax figure of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder also didn't do a great job of capturing his likeness
Hmm: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is pictured in 2021

Hmm: The wax figure of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder also didn't do a great job of capturing his likeness 

As he addressed the audience ahead of Eyes Closed and Life Goes On, Ed began: 'The last time I was in this venue was with my friend Jamal, to see a comedy show, and I've not been here since.

'The first time I ever played this song, I cried when I introduced it, I cried at the start, I cried at the end and... I'm going to cry now.'

Breaking down in tears he wipe his face with a towel and continued: 'I found this very cathartic to put out.

'I always say these songs are mine until I put them out there, and then they belong to you guys.

'I felt like when the Jamal passed away that I wanted the world to just stop, like it did when the Queen died.'

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He continued: 'I just didn't feel ready and I still don't really feel ready. Every one expects you to feel sad for a week or two and then everything carries on. But I'm still not over it, and I don't want to be.' 

The album's lyrics give an insight into the depression and grief he has experienced in the last two years after the loss of his close friend Jamal, his wife Cherry's health woes and a plagiarism court case.

In a recent interview Ed said the collection of new songs was a 'trapdoor into his soul' with many of the lyrics using maritime metaphors to explain his depression.

Highlights include his song Eyes Closed where in the music video he turns his grief into a huge blue monster.

Ed sadly lost his best friend Jamal last February. He was just 31 years of age when he died from cardiac arrest after alcohol and cocaine.

The Eyes Closed chorus includes lines such as: 'Every song reminds me you're gone, and I feel the lump form in my throat coz I'm here alone.'

As well as losing Jamal, his wife Cherry was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour when she was pregnant with their second child and was told she couldn't have surgery on it until she gave birth.

Another song Boat delves further into his depression as he sings about 'not knowing if his scars will heal' while Life Goes On describes his mental health struggles as like 'waves tumbling down around him.'

That's the shape of you! Ed has a better waxwork at Madame Tussauds in New York City (pictured in 2015)

That's the shape of you! Ed has a better waxwork at Madame Tussauds in New York City (pictured in 2015)

Ed SheeranGermany

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