As far as breakup anthems go, Ed Sheeran's Don't is the most cutting piece of work since Justin hired a Britney lookalike for the Cry Me A River video. 

It's regarded as something of an open secret in celeb land that the song about a cheating girlfriend was most likely written about Ellie Goulding's rumoured fling with One Direction's Niall Horan, but Sheeran has kept quiet on the rumours to date.

Keeping quiet is not so easy, however, when you're appearing on Howard Stern's radio show. The shock jock and America's Got Talent judge hosted Ed, 23, this week, and took the opportunity to call the chart-topper out on the lyrics of his hit.

“It was a One Direction guy, right,” Stern said on Monday's show.

Ed tried to play down the issue, saying: “The papers says a lot of things. I have kept my mouth shut about a lot of things. I think if you add any fuel to any fire…”

“I didn’t really come out of that situation upset.

“I was just pissed off. I just thought it was a bit disrespectful.

"I got over it as soon as the song was done and the song happened pretty soon after."

He did, however, admit to an awkward moment of confrontation with the unnamed friend, saying: “It’s a difficult conversation to have… He was my mate, so I was just a bit like, ‘Um not cool,’ but…”

Stern wasn't going to let him off easy, again pressing Sheeran by saying; “That was the guy in One Direction, right?”

Eventually Ed seemed to give in, saying: “Well, it depends which one you’re talking about!”, before laughing.

Over to you, Niall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD2rhdFRehU