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Ed Sheeran says biopic will be 8 Mile based in Ipswich

'I've got loads of songs about Ipswich that haven't come out so I could make a soundtrack'

Jack Shepherd
Wednesday 05 July 2017 12:22 BST
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Ed Sheeran headlines Glastonbury Festival
Ed Sheeran headlines Glastonbury Festival (BBC)

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Having headlined Glastonbury and announced a huge arena tour, Ed Sheeran has spoken about wanting to produce an 8 Mile-type biopic about Ipswich.

Speaking to Q, the troubadour talked about his ambitions, saying that discussions regarding a film, based on his life and hometown, have been had.

"I want to have an 8 Mile moment but 8 Mile meets Notting Hill,” he told the publication.

"Not gritty like Detroit but, like, Ipswich. I've got loads of songs about Ipswich that haven't come out so I could make a soundtrack.”

The Curtis Hanson-directed 8 Mile focussed on an up-and-coming rapper, played by Eminem, who struggled growing up in Detroit. Eminem went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song for ‘Lose Yourself’.

Sheeran has previously spoken about his biopic ambition, telling The Sun: “I really want to make a film that I do the soundtrack for and star in – that’s my next thing. I look at a film like Notting Hill and I think that’s like a brilliant benchmark, or Once.

“So if you were to mix Notting Hill with Once, I would say that would be a good start. I don’t think I will do an album as a soundtrack, but I will definitely put together a soundtrack with a bunch of my songs on it, but I don’t think it will be an album.

“I am in talks with one filmmaker that I really fucking love and we are going to slowly but surely put something together. I would want to cast all unknowns. I want to have low-budget, indie, British-made film.”

Meanwhile, Sheeran has quit Twitter, saying looking at the social media account was "ruining his day".

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