Ed Sheeran poses for a photograph.

Ed Sheeran has officially returned to Instagram after being largely absent from social media for “the last couple of years”

The “Shape of You” singer has shared few personal posts on Instagram in recent years, but ended his break on Tuesday (31 January) with a selfie video.

In the video, which Sheeran captioned: “Back in the bitz,” he addressed fans directly and promised to be making more personal posts on the platform going forward.

“Hi guys, so I realise I haven’t been that engaged in my social media or my fan base online over the last couple of years,” he said, before whispering into the camera: “And the things that have been posted on this account might have got a bit boring. I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”

Sheeran then went on to explain why he had been absent from the platform for so long.

“The reason I’m making this video is – just being totally honest – I’ve had some turbulent things happening in my personal life,” Sheeran explained. “So I just didn’t really feel like being online and pretending to be something I’m not when I wasn’t feeling like that.”

He continued: “I know that sounds weird, but hence I’m making this video to say that things are looking up and I’m back online. So weird is going to start being posted here.”

Sheeran then did an awkward hand movement, before joking that he’d already attempted the video many times and would have to settle with the one he’d just recorded.

It comes as the musician released his new track “F64”, which is dedicated to his late friend and SBTV founder Jamal Edwards.

Ahead of the release, Jamal’s mother Brenda spoke about how Sheeran took care of their family in the weeks following her son’s death.

During an interview on Good Morning Britain ahead of the anniversary of his death, Loose Women panellist Brenda said: “When Jamal passed [Sheeran] was literally at my house with me and [daughter] Tanisha for a whole week, just looking after us.

"There wasn’t anything that he wasn’t sorting out and doing if we needed anything, and everybody has been so, so wonderful and so supportive,” she added.

The Independent