Matty Healy’s mom says she’s ‘glad’ she won’t be Taylor Swift’s mother-in-law

Matty Healy’s mom, Denise Welch, isn’t pulling her punches when it comes to her son’s short-lived romance with Taylor Swift.

The actress and Loose Women panelist made the blunt remarks during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Thursday, when Cohen asked her about Swift’s Tortured Poets Department album.

“Obviously, on pain of death can I talk about that episode, but being her mother-in-law is a role that I am glad that I lost,” Welch said, which prompted gasps from the studio audience.

She quickly added: “Not that I have anything against her at all! It was just — it was tricky.”

Swift and Healy first met (and sparked dating rumors) back in 2014, but Healy later denied it. The two, who never publicly confirmed their relationship, had quite the whirlwind romance in spring 2023 following Swift’s breakup with Joe Alwyn. They were first spotted out together in early May, and were seen out and about at several New York venues together, reportedly holding hands and kissing.

On one occasion, Swift and Healy were seen at the recording studio Electric Lady Studios alongside Swift’s pals and collaborators Jack Antonoff, Margaret Qualley, Kendrick Lamar, and Florence Welch.

The 1975 singer was also notably on hand at several of Swift’s Eras Tour stops in Nashville and Philadelphia, even joining opening act Phoebe Bridgers on stage at one point. Pictures from fans in attendance later showed Healy hanging out with longtime Swift pals Blake Lively and Gigi Hadid and spending time with her father, Scott.

By early June of that year, it was reported that Swift and Healy’s love story had come to an end. “She had fun with him, but it was always casual,” a source told PEOPLE. “They are no longer romantically involved.”

On Watch What Happens Live on Thursday, Welch continued of Swift, “She — listen, you’re not allowed to say anything, and then she writes a whole album about it.”

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Swift never publicly confirms who her songs are about, and her 11th studio album was no different. While several songs on The Tortured Poets Department — including the title track, “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can),” “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” and “But Daddy I Love Him” — are speculated to be about Healy, there are several more who seem to refer to other people and relationships.

“Matty has taken it all in completely good grace. He’s very happy with his amazing fiancée Gabriella, who is gorgeous,” Welch continued, referring to the model and singer Gabbriette Bechtel.

“So, we’ve moved on,” she concluded.

Swift, too, moved on from the brief romance: Later that summer, the 14-time Grammy winner began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and the two have been together since.