Ed Sheeran Reveals How He And Richard Curtis Teamed Up On Music Video For “Under The Tree”

Ed Sheeran has made his mark on holiday music in an unexpected way. The 33-year-old pop star teamed up with legendary Love Actually director Richard Curtis for the music video of his latest song, Under the Tree.

Their collaboration is rooted in a long-standing friendship. In an interview with Variety on Dec. 11, Ed shared that he and Richard, 68, have worked together on multiple projects over the years, from Comic Relief to the 2017 film Yesterday. Interestingly, Ed revealed a personal connection – his first girlfriend used to babysit the rom-com director’s children.

Richard introduced Ed to his latest project, That Christmas, a Netflix animated feature inspired by Richard’s children’s books. Originally envisioned as a musical TV special, the project evolved over time.

“He asked if I wanted to write the music for it, and I said, ‘Cool,’” Ed explained. He wrote a chorus for a scene but didn’t hear back for two years. When Richard finally reached out again, he asked Ed to complete the song that would become Under the Tree.

Writing a sad Christmas song was a new experience for the Shape of You singer. “It’s the one thing I’ve wanted to write. I’d never seen the need [to write] a sad Christmas song until writing this one…this is quite a lot of people’s realities at Christmas,” he said. 

But Ed wasn’t just content to write the track. He had a bold request: he would only make a music video if Richarrd directed it. “I’ve felt that having him put his stamp on me doing a Christmas song would be kind of special to me,” he said.

Richard, who had never directed a music video before, embraced the challenge. He crafted a Sliding Doors-inspired storyline for the video and even cast Bridgerton star Claudia Jessie. The shoot was a personal affair for Ed, filmed just 10 minutes from his home with his friend’s mum making an appearance as an extra.

“It was fun,” the singer said. 

Richard, for his part, praised the song, calling it “lyrically magical” and key to unlocking an emotional moment in That Christmas. 

“Suddenly you feel all these layered emotions that go beyond what is seen on screen and you are filled with longing and hope,” he told Variety.