Ed Sheeran "thought [he] was gay for a bit" during his childhood. 

The 30-year-old pop star has revealed he used to question his sexuality because he loved musicals and songs by Britney Spears as a child. 

He shared: "I have a definite feminine side, to the point that when I was a kid I thought I was gay for a bit. 

"I definitely have a big feminine side. I love musical theatre, I love pop music, I love Britney Spears. 

"My masculine side probably stops at drinking beer and watching football." 

The "Perfect" hitmaker - who is an Ipswich Town fan - actually prefers women's soccer to the men's game. 

He revealed he converted to the women's game after his daughter, Lyra, was born in August last year. 

He told the "Man Man Man" podcast: "I watched it and I was like, 'I don't know why I watch male football, this is much better'. 

"I am not a hugely masculine person anyway. I am not a car guy. I like a nice car, but I'm not a car guy." 

Sheeran admits that his wife, Cherry Seaborn, has had a huge impact on how he looks at life. 

He explained: "My wife is super pro-women and femininity. 

"As soon as we started dating, my life shifted to that." 

Sheeran recently revealed that he's "cool with everyone" in the music industry. 

The singer is often praised for being one of the most likeable people in the industry, but he insists the most of his closest pals are actually from his childhood days. 

Sheeran - who lives in Suffolk in England - shared: "I get on with pretty much everyone but in terms of very close personal connections, like people I'd invite to my house for dinner or to hang out with my daughter, I can count them on my fingers. 

"I'm cool with everyone. I'll have nights out with loads of people, but many of the other people in the industry I meet are the same - their closest friends are the people they've known for years, people they grew up with."