Ed Sheeran condemns ‘damaging’ culture of legal claims after copyright victory

Ed Sheeran and co-writers John McDaid and Steven McCutcheon were accused of ripping off Sami Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue’s 2015 song Oh Why (Aaron Chown/PA)

Ed Sheeran has hit out at a “damaging” culture of “unwarranted” legal claims against songwriters after winning a High Court copyright battle over his track Shape Of You.

The singer said legal challenges are “way too common”, as a judge ruled his 2017 hit did not infringe another artist’s song.