Ed Sheeran helped Tom Parker pay for cancer treatment prior to his death, the late Wanted singer’s autobiography has revealed.
Tom died in March the age of 33 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 2020.
In an extract of his forthcoming autobiography published in The Sun, Tom told of how Ed had offered to do “anything he could” to help him after his diagnosis, calling him a “very special man”.
Writing prior to his death, Tom said: “Pretty much from the moment I was diagnosed, Ed Sheeran reached out to me with an offer to do anything he could to help.
“Ed and I have known each other since he joined The Wanted on our tour bus during a promotion trip in America more than ten years ago.
“We’ve always run into each other over the years and had a great relationship.”
He continued: “I’ve never publicly said this before (and he’ll probably be mad that I’m doing it now) but Ed is a very special man — he even helped out with my medical bills when I was seeking other treatment options and having private immunotherapy.
“He didn’t need to do any of that, but my wife Kelsey and I are so grateful to him for his support. It meant the world.”
Together with Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes, Tom had numerous top 10 singles in the early 2010s as The Wanted, including Chasing The Sun, Walks Like Rihanna, Lightning and the number ones All Time Low and Glad You Came.
Following Tom’s death, which was announced on Instagram by his wife Kelsey, the band put out a statement saying they were “devastated by the tragic and premature loss” of their “brother”.
The group reunited for a special series of gigs earlier this year, with Tom describing being back on stage as being “in his happy place”.
In a later tribute, bandmate Max said: “I’m heartbroken beyond words right now and I cannot even begin to imagine what the future holds without you, but whatever I do going forward, even on my darkest days, I can always smile and say, ‘I shared the stage with Tom Parker’.”