Ellie Goulding has admitted she “regrets” addressing the rumours that she “cheated on Ed Sheeran” with Niall Horan.
The 36-year-old, who was linked to both the singers in 2013, set the record straight in January after posting a video of herself dancing to Harry Styles’ song As It Was on TikTok.
After a TikTok user commented, “Can’t believe u cheated on ed with niall but slay fr,” under the video, Ellie responded, “False!!!! But also slay.”
In a new interview with The Independent, Ellie admitted that her response added fuel to the fire, and that she “shouldn’t give in to that”.
The songstress said: “I think, by replying, I’m kind of making out that world is real, or adding validity to a world that is manufactured to keep us scrolling and keep us in fear and fascinated by celebrities.”
“I think that the best thing for me is to stay in the real world. But sometimes you just gotta – occasionally; every, like, five years or so – put something out there…”
Ellie first sparked romance rumours with Niall in August 2013, when The UK Mirror reported that the pair were spotted looking cosy at V Festival.
Just one week later, Ellie was filmed holding hands with Ed in the audience at the MTV VMAs.
At the time, the Burn singer tweeted: “I love that holding hands with my friends means we’re an item. In that case I am in many relationships. Lover not a hater. #whatthef–k.”
But weeks later, Ed raised eyebrows during a radio interview by admitting: “I mean, normal people don’t hold hands if they’re just friends…”
Hinting there was a romance between them, he added: “It was going on. And now it’s not.”
The following year, Ed released his hit single Don’t, in which he sings about being cheated on by a fellow singer.
At the time, many fans speculated the song was about himself, Ellie and Niall.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2015, Ed insisted he “never actually confirmed” the song was referring to Ellie and Niall.
Despite this, a newspaper in the UK claimed it was about them – which fuelled the fire even more.
Ed said: “We got in touch and they took the story down. But obviously the damage had already been done by that point because every other newspaper picked up on it.”
The same year, Ellie also confirmed that while she did “go on a few dates with Niall”, she was “never in a relationship with Ed, telling Elle magazine: “I have absolutely no idea where that came from and why it was turned into such a big thing.”
