Fans went into meltdown last week after it emerged that newly single Taylor Swift is dating The 1975 frontman Matty Healy.
After her shock split from British actor Joe Alwyn, 32, in February, the pop legend is rumoured to have then rekindled her romance with Chocolate singer Matty, 34, with an insider saying, “Taylor and Matty are madly in love. It’s super-early days, but it feels right. They first dated, very briefly, almost 10 years ago, but timings just didn’t work out.”
Taylor, 33, and Matty – who is the son of Loose Women star Denise Welch, 64, and Benidorm’s Tim Healy, 71 – were first linked back in 2014, after she wore his band’s T-shirt.
In 2016, Matty gushed “I have said on countless occasions that I found [Taylor Swift] to be one of the most gracious, hardworking, creatively gifted, and beautiful women that I have had the pleasure to meet. I personally have a lot of respect and admiration for her.”
Despite gossip of behind-the-scenes drama – with Matty apologising over comments that dating the star would be “emasculating” – the pair remained close pals, collaborating on Taylor’s latest album Midnights, before the popstar appeared onstage during a The 1975 show in January.
And Taylor’s already had the seal of approval from mum Denise, who posted a cosy picture of her hugging the Bad Blood singer at her son’s concert, writing “So proud I can’t even begin!”
News of the couple’s rumoured romance comes weeks after Taylor split from Conversations With Friends actor Joe after six years. The couple were first introduced to each other in 2016, with rumours swirling last year that the loved-up couple were engaged.
Sources close to the duo reported that their split was mutual, saying “Taylor and Joe are in totally different places in their lives right now. Both realised they weren’t completely right for one another.”
But despite claiming there’s no, ahem, Bad Blood between the duo, fans are convinced otherwise – after several of Taylor’s inner-circle, including Gigi Hadid, 28, and Ryan Reynolds, 46, unfollowed the actor.
Matty isn’t the first famous face Taylor’s dated. She was seeing Disney star Joe Jonas in 2008, before having a year-long relationship with Twilight’s Taylor Lautner, 31, after meeting on the set of Valentine’s Day. In 2010, a 19-year-old Taylor dated 32-year-old guitar legend John Mayer, now 45, before embarking on a whirlwind three-month romance with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, 42.
In the years following, the Love Story singer enjoyed high-profile relationships with British men – such as One Direction’s Harry Styles, 29, Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, 39, and Thor actor Tom Hiddleston, 42.
And Denise’s close pal Lizzie Cundy tells Closer that Taylor will love having Denise as her mother-in-law if the couple tie the knot. Lizzie, 55, says, “I’ve known Denise for years and years. She’s a close friend of mine and I adore her. She’s a proper friend, not just a showbiz friend.
“She’ll be thrilled to bits for Taylor and Matty. I know Matty and he’s a really lovely, down-to-earth, extremely talented, ‘real’ bloke. I can definitely see him and Taylor working out and even getting engaged eventually– he’s a lucky man, but also Taylor is a lucky girl too with Matty. And like her, he doesn’t chase the fame and likes to be private with his relationships.
“Denise and Matty are extremely close – they’re such a close-knit family and they all adore each other. I can see Taylor with them up north, with she and Denise giggling and gossiping over a cup of tea together. Denise will welcome her into the family and I guarantee that she’ll get Taylor on Loose Women too!
“At Denise’s wedding to [artist husband] Lincoln, I caught the bouquet when Denise threw it – they laughed that I would be the next bride, but maybe it’ll be Taylor!”
