Ed Sheeran has announced he’s taking a break from social media, so he can stop ‘seeing the world through a screen’. The singer has 16 million followers on twitter and 5.5 million on Instagram, but has assured fans he will be back online next Autumn.

Ed SheeranEd Sheeran is taking a break from social media.

‘Hello all I’m taking a break from my phone, emails and all social media for a while,' Sheeran wrote on Instagram. 'I’ve had such an amazing ride over the last five years, but I find myself seeing the world through a screen and not my eyes, so I’m taking this opportunity of me not having to be anywhere or do anything to travel the world and see everything I missed.’

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‘To my family and friends, if you love me, you will understand me buggering off for a bit, to my fans the third album is on its way and is the best thing I have made thus far. See you all next autumn, and thank you for being amazing.’

Sheeran’s well-deserved break comes after a phenomenal year, which saw his album x become certified 8× Platinum in the UK. He’s also had a sold-out world tour and been named Spotify’s most streamed artist of all time and most streamed artist of 2015 in the UK.

Last October he told The Sun that he would be taking a break from the limelight starting on December 12th. "I think a break for me is coming off my phone, social media and emails. I am constantly on my phone, texting, replying to emails, on Twitter, on Snapchat, on Facebook,” Sheeran said.

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“I just want to get off it and live and drive to places and listen to music and have normal conversations with people and get back to normality. I've got a packed schedule, then, when 12 December comes, it's done."