Ed Sheeran feels like a "stud"

The 22-year-old singer insists he isn't romantically involved with the 'I Knew You Were Trouble' hitmaker and while he enjoys hearing rumours about their apparent relationship, he knows the blonde beauty is off-limits after she recently dated his good friend Harry Styles.

Ed - who collaborated with Taylor on track 'Everything Has Changed', which appears on her fourth studio album 'Red' - said: "My mates believed it. And my mates are texting me being like, 'Is it true?' so I said it wasn't but the fact that people can believe it makes me feel like a bit of a stud, you know?

"I've got to be honest because one of my best friends did date her. I'm not that kind of guy. But the fact that people believed it impressed me a little bit."

The 'Lego House' hitmaker and the 23-year-old star were recently romantically linked to each other after they stayed up talking until 4am at Taylor's London hotel before last month's BRIT Awards, but the flame-haired singer insists the pair were simply playing music to each other rather than making it.

In an interview for New Zealand broadcaster TVNZ, he added: "I did go to her hotel, I did stay there until four and I did leave in the same clothes - but I was playing her my new record. It was strictly that kind of thing.

"Literally, I went in there and we passed the guitar back and forth and played songs to each other."
When asked if he went in for a sneaky smooch, he replied: "I'm a professional."

Ed is currently supporting Taylor on her 'Red' tour in North America, which started on Wednesday night in Nebraska, and runs until September - and he admits it would be "awkward" if they started dating because they have to work together.

He added: "Six months on the road with someone, that could get a bit awkward."