Songwriting is my therapy says Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran uses songwriting as a form of therapy when he is feeling low, he said.

The singer-songwriter revealed he writes four or five songs a day when in "album-making mode" but only 12 out of 100 tracks he pens end up being "good".

He made the remarks during an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs following a prolific few months for the 26-year-old in which his third album, Divide, has dominated the charts.

In a teaser clip released ahead of the broadcast, Sheeran told Kirsty Young: "I think it (songwriting) is a form of therapy to be honest.

"I think any time I've ever got down or ever felt low the one thing that picks me up from that is writing a song about it because at least you've got a positive experience out of a bad experience."

The Shape Of You singer added: "I try to write as much as possible.

"If I'm in album-making mode it will be four or five songs a day and there will be no thought process. It will be just get a guitar and just write a song.

"And you know 12 out of 100 might be good. So I write a bunch and scrap a bunch."

In his role as castaway on Desert Island Discs, Sheeran will choose eight discs to take to a fictional desert island, as well as one luxury item and a book.

:: Desert Island Discs with Ed Sheeran will air on Radio 4 on Sunday at 11.15am.