First look at Ed Sheeran’s appearance on this week’s Late Late Show is here

Ed Sheeran has told how he would have loved to have his late grandfather, a "huge, huge royalist", with him when he received the MBE this year.

The 26-year-old will appear on the Late Late Show this Friday in a pre-recorded interview. And beyond the usual interview with Ryan Tubridy, Ed will be treating fans to three separate performances. He'll be playing Nancy Mulligan, the song inspired by his grandparents William and Anne Sheeran who married despite being from different religions, as well as his latest single, Perfect.  On Nancy Mulligan, he told Ryan:

 “[It] is about my grandfather and my grandmother. "My grandfather is a Protestant from Belfast and my grandmother is a Catholic from Wexford and when they got married it was like a real thing. "But they went against people, got married and ended up being married for 66 years before my grandfather passed away.”

The pop star was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June 2017 - and recalled how it would've been "cool" to have had his grandad with him on the big day. He added that it was a "really big deal" for himself and his dad. Ed said:

“My grandfather was a huge, huge royalist and loved the royal family, had commemorative plates and sh*t. He was bang into it. "He sadly passed away in 2013 but when the MBE came in, I remember being with my Dad and being like, ‘ah sh*t, wouldn’t it be cool if granddad was alive now to see this’."

He'll also be chatting to Ryan about the real inspiration behind the song Galway Girl, his love of Ireland - and how he'd love to one day do the Bond theme (he's even got a song ready for them). Getting into the spirit of the season, he will also take on an iconic Christmas classic: Fairytale of New York.  He’ll be joined by Picture This, Lisa Hannigan and Beoga on the Late Late stage for their version of The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl song. Elsewhere on the show, Fiona and Tim Tuomey - the parents of of 11-year-old Milly who took her own life weeks after posting a message on Instagram that she was unhappy with her appearance and wanted to die - will appear. The pair will open about about the heartbreaking tragedy, and how they think Ireland is failing young people who have mental health issues. They will also be discussing how more needs to be done to help prevent other families suffering similar tragedies. Galway hurler Joe Canning will join Ryan Tubridy to talk about why, after 29 years, he feels it was finally time for Liam McCarthy to come calling. He will be opening up about how both of his parents being diagnosed with cancer led him to a new sense of perspective, and his eye-opening humanitarian trip to Syria with Unicef. Comedian Jason Byrne will be on the Late Late Show to tell the odd story for his vasectomy - and the aftermath. The Ireland’s Got Talent judge will also be cluing viewers in on the unexpected reason he thinks men should complain more - and dropping off a surprise for Ryan, just in time for the holidays. Brendan Grace will bring Bottler, Dublin’s favourite schoolboy and incorrigible messer, to the Late Late Show could to tickle some funny bones.