Ed Sheeran was ordered to dye his hair black if he wanted to succeed in the music industry.
The Shape of You star is one of the most successful British acts in music of recent years but, before selling a staggering 150 million records, his ex-management company told him he'd never make it because of his ginger hair.
His current manager, Stuart Camp, made the claim about an unnamed firm he took over from in 2011, telling Britain's The Sun newspaper: "The other management actually resigned from him because they said he wasn't going anywhere. He had to drop the looping pedal, dye his hair black and give up the rapping."
The star has previously revealed he would cry every day after school after being taunted by his fellow peers for his ginger hair, glasses and a stutter. Now, however, he accepts being "odd" and "quirky" ultimately led to his success.
Ed had been on a break from making music following the birth of his daughter Lyra with wife Cherry Seaborn last month – but Stuart recently told the Straight Up podcast: "We've started recording now. We'll probably put a record out this time next year."
"I'm looking at a piece of paper that actually has the track listing for the album after the next one on it," he teased. "He's always one or two albums ahead."