The world of celebrity relationships often gets messy, especially when music, breakups, and fiercely loyal fanbases are involved.
And Denise Welch—actress, TV personality, and mother of Matty Healy—has found herself right in the middle of that storm.
Her recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live stirred up some serious buzz when the topic turned to her son’s brief but headline-making romance with pop megastar Taylor Swift.
A Not-So-Subtle Dig on Live TV
Host Andy Cohen didn’t waste time.
When he brought up Swift’s 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department—an album many believe contains several pointed lyrics about her short relationship with The 1975 frontman—Welch kept it light… at first.
“I can’t really talk about that without fear of death,” she joked.
But then she added a zinger: “Not being her mother-in-law is a role that I am glad that I lost.”
That statement sent the audience into a flurry of shocked gasps.
Backtracking, But Not Really
Quick to ease the tension, Welch clarified she didn’t hold any personal grudge against Taylor.
“Not that I have anything against her at all!” she said, trying to smooth things over. Still, she admitted the situation had been “tricky”—a word that says a lot without saying too much.
The Swifties’ Wrath and the Power of the Pen
Welch then took aim at the dynamic between Swift and her intensely loyal fanbase.
“You’re not allowed to say anything,” she said, “and then she writes a whole album about it.”
It was a not-so-veiled commentary on how Swift’s music often draws from her romantic history—and how criticism of her is often met with intense online backlash.
Welch seemed to be suggesting that the singer gets to speak her truth through lyrics, while anyone else connected to the story is expected to stay silent.
Matty’s Doing Just Fine, Thank You
Despite the lyrical daggers fans believe were aimed at her son, Welch made it clear Matty Healy isn’t dwelling on the past.
She said he’s taking everything in stride and is now “very happy” with his fiancée, model and singer Gabbriette Bechtel.
“She’s gorgeous,” Welch added proudly. “So, we’ve moved on.”
The audience responded with a round of applause.
A Flashback to the Swift-Healy Timeline
While Swift and Healy’s actual romantic relationship only lasted a matter of weeks in 2023, their connection had been simmering for nearly a decade.
They reportedly first met back in 2014 when Taylor went to a 1975 concert in LA with Selena Gomez and Ellie Goulding.
Later that year, she attended another one with then-bestie Karlie Kloss.
They crossed paths again in 2015 at a party, hanging out in the DJ booth with Nick Grimshaw.
Then came a long pause—until the rumors started up again in 2022.
Studio Collaborations and Relationship Rumors
Healy initially denied having anything to do with Swift’s Midnights album, but later admitted they had collaborated in the studio—though those tracks never made it to fans’ ears.
Things heated up publicly in January 2023 when Swift appeared onstage at a 1975 concert.
By spring, she’d reportedly split from longtime partner Joe Alwyn, and buzz about her and Healy kicked into overdrive.
From Public Romance to Swift Exit
Their relationship became official in May 2023, with the pair spotted holding hands and Healy showing up at Eras Tour stops and recording studios.
But just as quickly as it began, the romance fizzled.
Healy got caught in controversy for mocking rapper Ice Spice on a podcast, and Swift’s fans began turning on her for dating him.
The pressure mounted—and by June, they were done.
The Album That Reignited the Drama
Fast-forward to 2024, and The Tortured Poets Department was released.
Swifties were quick to pick apart the lyrics, pointing fingers at tracks like “loml,” “I Can Fix Him (No I Really Can),” “Guilty As Sin?” and “Fresh Out The Slammer” as references to Healy.
Others believe the album also touches on her breakup with Joe Alwyn.
Whatever the case, the music reignited old flames, leaving Welch in the awkward position of watching her son’s past relationship dissected on a global scale.
Final Thoughts: They’ve All Moved On
Denise Welch may have taken a sly jab at Taylor Swift, but she made one thing clear: the Healy family has moved on.
With Matty happily engaged and no interest in rekindling old drama, Welch’s message to the world seemed to be: let sleeping songs lie.
