Matty Healy’s mother, Denise Welch, has thrown some sharp shade at Taylor Swift in a recent interview.
On Thursday night (July 24), the Loose Women star, 67, joined Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live for her American TV debut.
At one point in the show, the conversation inevitably turned to Swift’s 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department, widely believed to chronicle her brief but intense relationship with Healy.
When asked what she thought of the chart-topping record, Welch replied cautiously: “Obviously, on pain of death can I talk about that episode. But not being her mother-in-law is a role that I am glad that I lost.”
The crowd reacted audibly to the remark, prompting Welch to quickly clarify: “Not that I have anything against her at all. It was just, you know, it was tricky. But um… Listen, you’re not allowed to say anything. And then she writes a whole album, you know, about it.”
Still, she made it clear her 36-year-old son has no hard feelings. “But Matty has taken it all in completely good grace. He’s very happy with his amazing fiancée Gabriella, Gabriette, who is gorgeous. So, we’ve moved on.”
Fans were quick to weigh in on her comments online. One viewer criticized the jab: “Saying you’re grateful not to be someone’s mother-in-law is low. Taylor never said a single bad word. Why drag her when it’s all in the past?”
A second shared: “'A whole album' are kidding me!? She had a long-term relationship, and you think that album was about that one sh***y almost nothing relationship!!!????"
Others defended Welch’s remarks as fair, with one fan writing: "Denise didn't bring up Taylor, and not wanting to be her mother-in-law isn't 'low' It's just how she feels, likely because she has such a good relationship with Gabbriette."
Another person pointed out: "If you look at it from her perspective - her son was getting sent death threats and insane online abuse for MONTHS because of his relationship.
"I fear I’d also be glad they didn’t end up together, unfortunately, if I was his mother?? and I am a fan of both of them," they added.
Swift and Healy had a fleeting romance in spring 2023, shortly after the 35-year-old musician split from longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn. The pair were linked in early May and reportedly broke up by June.
“Taylor and Matty broke up. They are both extremely busy and realized they’re not really compatible with each other,” a source told Entertainment Tonight at the time.
Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department includes tracks like 'Fortnight' and 'The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,' which fans believe are about Healy.
Meanwhile, the frontman of The 1975 appeared to respond on stage during a chaotic performance, where, glass of beer in hand, he declared: “I’m probably the best songwriter of my generation - a poet, ladies and gentlemen, is what I am… A generational poet. A generational wordsmith.”
Swift is now in a relationship with NFL tight end Travis Kelce, while Healy is dating model and musician Gabriette Bechtel.