New Zealand PM calls Ed Sheeran’s citizenship bluff

ED SHEERAN has said he’s ‘working on’ becoming a New Zealand citizen — prompting the country’s PM to give him an impromptu citizenship test.

The Shape Of You singer, who is due to tour the nation in March, posted a video saying: ‘Hey New Zealand, I can’t wait to see you very soon. I’m not yet a citizen of New Zealand, but I’m working on it — hook me up, prime minister, please.’

And it appears that recently elected PM Jacinda Ardern, 37 — who’s a bit of a music buff, having been known to DJ — has called his bluff.

Responding in her own video filmed at her parliamentary office in Wellington, she said: ‘Hello Ed, my name is Jacinda Ardern, I’m the prime minister of New Zealand and I understand you’ve put through a very informal request for citizenship.’

Continuing her tongue in cheek video, she posed him three citizenship questions that probably don’t appear on the nation’s official entry test.

‘Before we’re able to think about that a little bit more, I’ve got some very important questions for you: the first, do you like pineapple lumps? Do you even know what they are?’

Pineapple lumps are a NZ favourite consisting of a pineapple-flavoured soft centre covered in chocolate.

Ardern went on: ‘Two, are you willing to wear jandals in semi-inappropriate situations, and also, do you know what jandals are?’

Jandals are basically flip-flops, and brave New Zealanders often wear them all year round, even at formal occasions.

The third question was the ‘most important’ of all, said Ardern: ‘Are you willing to make New Zealand your home? Let me know.’

We’re not convinced Sheeran, a native of Suffolk, will want to go that far.

Author: Anna Thomson