Look, we’ve all had those exes our families sigh in relief about. But not all of us have mums who share that relief, on camera, to the delight (and horror?) of anyone with access to the internet. Welcome to the world of Denise Welch, British telly icon and proud mother of The 1975’s Matty Healy (yes he is a nepo baby), who recently swung by Watch What Happens Live and dropped some pretty pointed comments about Matty’s former link to Taylor Swift.
Andy Cohen, in all his messiness, asked Welch how she felt about the pop megapower’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department — rumoured by many to be inspired by Swift’s brief romance with Healy.
Without skipping a beat Denise declared, “Being her mother-in-law is a role that I am glad that I lost.”
The gasp I gusped!
Even the studio audience was shocked. But lest the Swifties start sharpening their friendship bracelets into shivs, Welch added, “Not that I have anything against her at all! It was just — it was tricky.”
As Welch wryly put it: “You’re not allowed to say anything, and then she writes a whole album about it.”
God forbid a woman has talent!
In true dignified-mum style, Welch immediately pivoted to gushing over Healy’s current fiancée, model and singer Gabbriette Bechtel: “Matty has taken it all in completely good grace. He’s very happy with his amazing fiancée, who is gorgeous. So we’ve moved on.”
For anyone who missed this saga (where have you been, honestly?), Swift and Healy’s romance was about as fleeting as your resolve not to stalk your ex on Insta. The two were first seen hand-in-hand in NYC after Matty showed up at Taylor’s Eras Tour May 2023 gig in Nashville. By June, it was all over and reportedly always “casual”. Matty then moved on with Gabbriette, while Taylor found herself vibing with NFL star Travis Kelce. And all was well in the world I guess!
Side note: Travis ‘hard-launched’ his relationship with Swift on Instagram literally the same day Denise threw her polite shade on TV. And I can’t lie, that does soothe my brain.
Lead image: Getty Images / WWHL
