Rod Stewart slams ‘old ginger bollocks’ Ed Sheeran

Rod Stewart thinks that Ed Sheeran is a bad habit. 

In a recent interview with the UK’s oldest national newspaper, The Times, the 79-year-old singer discussed which musicians he thought would stand the test of time, among the younger generation. 

“You mean like ‘Maggie May’? Songs that will be played in 50 years?” Stewart said.

“I like whatshisname. Oh f – – king great, Rod. Well done. He’s British, really talented and his songs will be around.”

When the interviewer suggested that Sheeran was the person whose name he forgot, Stewart said, “No, not Ed, I don’t know any of his songs, old ginger bollocks. Jesus.”

The Post has reached out to Sheeran’s rep for comment.

This isn’t the first time that Sheeran, 32, has drawn criticism. 

When the red-haired English crooner appeared on an episode of “Game of Thrones” in 2017, the show’s fans slammed him, and seemed to agree with Stewart’s “ginger bollocks” assessment.

“F – – king seriously,” one viewer complained at the time, while another said, “Good morning everyone except Ed Sheeran’s Game of Thrones cameo.” 

Sheeran also landed in hot water over a copyright lawsuit where he battled claims that he ripped off Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On” in his own work — but in May of 2023, the jury cleared him. 

The British singer-songwriter — reading from a prepared statement following the jury verdict in his favor — said it had been “devastating” to be accused of copying elements of Gaye’s 1973 R&B classic in his 2014 song “Thinking Out Loud.”

“It is devastating to be accused of stealing other people’s songs when we have put so much work into our livelihoods,” he said outside a Manhattan federal court.

“I am just a guy with a guitar who loves writing music for people to enjoy,” he said. “I am not and will never allow myself to be a piggy bank for anyone to shake.”

During his Times interview, Stewart was actually thinking of “Barcelona” singer George Ezra. 

“Yes! I think he writes really tremendous songs,” he said. “He’ll be around for quite a while.”

Stewart also named “Uptown Funk” and the 1988 song “Cars and Girls” as his favorite songs of all time, and he slammed the state of the current music industry. 

“We were brave in those days to go into the music business,” he said. 

“We didn’t know where it would take us, but record companies were different. They would give you a try. Also, the people I came up with — the [Rolling] Stones, Elton [John] — we all came into it because we loved the music. Money and fame didn’t factor — it was a burning ambition to sing. That may have changed. Now it’s more, ‘Ooh, let’s have a go at music. I don’t even have to play well. Maybe I’ll get rich.’ Fame comes before everything. All kids want is fame.”

Stewart has a new album with Jools Holland, “Swing Fever,” out Feb. 23, and he also has a Las Vegas residency, and a gig with Billy Joel on Sept. 13.

“I’m knocked out by that,” he said.