Matty Healy’s Mom Denise Welch Shades His Ex Taylor Swift
Matty Healy’s mom is not leaving any blank spaces on her feelings for his ex Taylor Swift.
Indeed, Denise Welch admitted she’s “glad” she missed out on a particular role after the pair ended their brief romance in 2023.
“Not being her mother-in-law is a role that I’m glad that I lost,” the Coronation Street star said on the July 24 episode of Watch What Happens Live. “Not that I have anything against her at all, it was tricky.”
And as for her reaction to Taylor’s album The Tortured Poets Department—which is speculated to have songs inspired by Matty—Denise wasn’t very delicate.
“Listen, you’re not allowed to say anything and then she writes a whole album about it,” she explained. “But Matty has taken it all in completely good grace.”
Since then, both Taylor and Matty have moved on, with The 1975 singer getting engaged to model Gabriella “Gabbriette” Bechtel. And when it comes to that romance? Well, his mom shared her seal of approval.
“He’s very happy with his amazing fiancée Gabriette,” Denise said, “who is gorgeous.”
Matty’s mother isn’t the first family member to share their thoughts on TTPD. Shortly after the Grammy-winning album’s release, the “About You” singer’s aunt Debbie Dedes reacted to the record.
“Nothing surprises him anymore,” his aunt Debbie Dedes told the Daily Mail in April 2024. “He will not be surprised by the song. Him and her know what went on.”
And while Matty, 36, hasn’t publicly spoken about his brief romance, he recently alluded to his role as the tattooed golden retriever. While performing onstage at the Glastonbury Music Festival, Matty got the attention of Swifties with a sly call-back to the album.
“I want to be sincere for a second with everybody,” Matty said in footage captured by Variety. “What this moment is making me realize is that I probably am the best. I’m probably the best songwriter of my generation.”
He added, “The best, what do we say… A poet, ladies and gentlemen, is what I am.”
For her part, Taylor, 35, is down bad for another man—and he has the lock screen to prove it.
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In fact, amid her relationship with Travis Kelce—which she began shortly after her split with Matty—the Kansas City Chiefs tight end recently shared an in-depth look at their romance with a photo dump shared to Instagram. What’s more, one pic offered a glimpse at his phone screen with a picture of them in Lake Como, Italy.
Gushing about his off-field time with Taylor, Travis wrote, “Had some adventures this offseason, kept it 100.”
Keep reading to look back on Taylor and Travis’ romance…
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July 2023: So, Make the Friendship Bracelets
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s love story began in July 2023, when the singer’s Eras Tour made a stop at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
As a huge Swiftie, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end caught the show with hopes of giving Taylor a friendship bracelet with his number on it. However, he failed to complete the pass due to her pre-show rituals.
“I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” Travis shared on the July 26 episode of his New Heights podcast. “So, I was a little butt-hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
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Summer 2023: This Is Him Trying
After publicly recounting his fumble—a move Taylor would later describe as “metal as hell”—Travis decided to shoot his shot and invite the Grammy winner to watch the Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I threw it out there, I threw the ball in her court,” he shared on The Pat McAfee Show. “I told her, you know, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit.’ So, we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
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August 2023: Enchanted to Meet You
Travis was rocking a mustache—which he debuted in August during training camp—when he was first introduced to Taylor.
As he later noted of the era, “That ‘stache and the 87 jersey was pretty iconic there for a little bit, and I had it when I met Taylor for the first time.”
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy / David Eulitt/Getty Images
September 2023: Sparks Fly
By early September, a source close to the situation told E! News that Travis and Taylor were “texting and talking here and there.”
“It’s been very low-key,” the insider explained, “as he’s been in season.”
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September 2023: Cheer Captain
Accepting Travis’ invite, Taylor joined the athlete’s mom Donna Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium to watch him and the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears. After the game, Taylor and Travis were seen packing PDA at a local bar.
Though folklore had it that it was the couple’s first in-person meeting, the “Karma” singer later clarified the two had spent a “significant amount of time” getting to know each other beforehand.
As Taylor noted, “We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”
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October 2023: Team Up
As an indication that the relationship was heating up, Taylor brought her squad—including friends Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Sophie Turner, Hugh Jackman, Sabrina Carpenter and Antoni Porowski—to watch the Chiefs play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
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October 2023: It’s Nice to Have a Friend
Another sign that Travis could be The 1? Taylor started bonding with Brittany Mahomes—the wife of Travis’ BFF and teammate Patrick Mahomes—in and outside of NFL games.
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October 2023: Welcome to New York
The couple took their romance to TV, making a surprise appearance on the Oct. 14 episode of Saturday Night Live. Their Big Apple takeover also included the after-party for the NBC sketch show and a date night at the Waverly Inn.
Marcelo Endelli/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
November 2023: Karma Is Her Boyfriend
During a bye week, Travis traveled down to Argentina to catch the South American leg of Taylor’s Eras Tour. Not only did the NFL star bond with Taylor’s dad, Scott Swift, at the Nov. 11 show in Buenos Aires, but he also got a special shoutout from the stage.
“Karma is that guy on the Chiefs,” Taylor sang, “coming straight home to me.”
After the show, the Midnights artist was seen running up to Travis backstage and greeting him with a passionate kiss.
Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
December 2023: Speak Now
Taylor addressed the lavender craze surrounding her appearances at Travis’ games.
“I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” she told Time. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone.”
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December 2023: You, Who Charmed Her Dad
The music superstar turned Travis’ Dec. 17 game into a family affair, bringing her dad to cheer on her man.
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January 2024: All the Midnights
Taylor and Travis spent their first New Year’s Eve together, sharing a romantic kiss when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1.
Kathryn Riley / Contributor (Getty Images)
January 2024: Chosen Family
Continuing to bond with Travis’ family, Taylor hung out with his brother Jason Kelce and sister-in-law Kylie Kelce at the Chiefs’ game against the Buffalo Bills.
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January 2024: Saved by the Perfect Kiss
Taylor joined Travis on the football field when the Chiefs won the AFC Championship, a victory that cemented the team’s spot in the 2024 Super Bowl. The couple shared a celebratory kiss before exchanging the L-word.
“Tay, I’m gonna enjoy with the guys,” he told her. “I love you—so much it’s not funny.”
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February 2024: Super Bowl Champs
The pair locked lips on the field after Travis led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas.
TikTok
February 2024: TikTok Official
Taylor posted footage of Travis on social media for the first time Feb. 12, poking fun at how she took her parents clubbing with the athlete after the Super Bowl.
Instagram / Taylor Swift
June 2024: Instagram Official
Taylor’s first Instagram pic featuring Travis was a selfie of the two with Prince William and his and wife Kate Middleton‘s eldest kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage at the singer’s Eras tour show at Wembley Stadium in London.
Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
June 2024: Travis’ Eras Tour Stage Debut
While attending his seventh Eras tour concert, and second show at London’s Wembley Stadium, the NFL star joined his girlfriend onstage as a backup performer during her performance of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”
September 2024: Back in the Game
Taylor joined Travis for the Chief’s first game of the regular 2024-25 season and appeared to re-enact a PDA moment from October 2023 in this photo shared by Chariah Gordon, who is pictured with her boyfriend, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Janet Mayer / Splash by Shutterstock
September 2024: Wedding Date
The two attended model Karen Elson‘s wedding to Electric Lady Studios owner Lee Foster in New York City.
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September 2024: U.S. Open Date
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October 2024: Double Date
The two stepped out for a double dinner date with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds in NYC.
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December 2024: Empire State of Mind
The pair stepped out for two back-to-back dates in New York City over the last weekend of 2024, matching outfits both times.
Travis Kelce/Instagram
March 2025: Off-Season Adventures
The pair spent the NFL off-season together, enjoying a snowy vacation to Montana with sportscaster Erin Andrews.
Travis Kelce/Instagram
July 2025: Instagram Hard Launch
Travis posted his first pics with Taylor on Instagram in July 2025, including an adorable shot of them at dinner—which subtly revealed their phone lockscreen pics of one another.
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