5 Shocking Ways Denise Welch Has Reacted To Taylor Swift's Matty Healy 'Diss Tracks'—Including A 2025 Chart Battle

The celebrity feud that no one saw coming continues to escalate, reaching a bizarre peak in late 2025. The ongoing tension between British television personality Denise Welch and global superstar Taylor Swift, stemming from Swift's brief 2023 relationship with Welch's son, The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, has dominated headlines since the release of Swift's 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD). This rivalry has now moved from talk show commentary to a head-to-head competition for the coveted 2025 Christmas Number One single, proving that in the world of celebrity, the drama is truly endless.

As of December 13, 2025, the narrative has shifted completely. What began as a mother's defense of her son against alleged "diss tracks" has morphed into a full-blown, public rivalry, captivating both the "Swifties" and fans of the long-running show *Loose Women*. The relationship between the two women is defined by a mix of polite well-wishes and thinly veiled shade, making it one of the most compelling and unexpected celebrity sagas of the decade.

Denise Welch: Full Biography and Professional Profile

Jacqueline Denise Welch is a celebrated English actress, television personality, writer, and broadcaster, known for her vibrant personality and long career spanning across British television and theatre. Her high-profile career has made her a household name in the UK, long before her son's relationship with Taylor Swift brought her international attention.

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• Full Name: Jacqueline Denise Welch
• Date of Birth: 22 May 1958
• Place of Birth: Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
• Occupation: Actress, Television Personality, Writer, Broadcaster
• Key Television Roles:
  • Coronation Street (1997–2000): Played the role of Natalie Barnes.
  • Waterloo Road (2006–2010): Played the role of Steph Haydock.
  • Loose Women (1999–Present): Long-standing panellist on the ITV daytime chat show, which has become the primary platform for her commentary on the Swift/Healy saga.
• Family: Mother of musician Matty Healy, the lead singer of the band The 1975.
• Other Work: Best-selling author, theatre star, and mental health advocate.

The Tortured Poets Department: A Mother's Reaction to the 'Diss Tracks'

The core of the Denise Welch and Taylor Swift drama stems from the April 2024 release of Swift's eleventh studio album, *The Tortured Poets Department* (TTPD). The album, which broke numerous streaming records, is widely interpreted as containing several tracks directed at Matty Healy, following their brief, high-profile relationship in 2023.

The relationship between Swift and The 1975 frontman was short-lived but intense, and the lyrics on TTPD, particularly songs like "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" and "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys," were immediately dissected by fans—known as "Swifties"—as scathing critiques of Healy's character and behavior.

1. Breaking Her Silence on Loose Women

Denise Welch first addressed the album on her show, *Loose Women*, shortly after its release. She acknowledged the intense media scrutiny surrounding her son and the album, but initially maintained a diplomatic stance. She revealed she was "not in the loop" about the album's content but offered a public well-wish to the pop star.

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This initial reaction was seen as an attempt to de-escalate the situation, yet the underlying tension was clear. The sheer volume of analysis linking Matty Healy to the album's most pointed lyrics made it impossible for the *Loose Women* panellist to ignore the situation entirely.

2. The 'Glad I'm Not Her Mother-in-Law' Comment

The diplomacy cracked when Welch appeared on the US talk show, *Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen*. When asked directly for her thoughts on the album, Welch delivered a comment that was immediately interpreted as "savage" by the media and "Swifties" alike.

She stated she was "glad" she would not be Taylor Swift's mother-in-law, a comment that quickly went viral. This was a clear, albeit indirect, take-down of the relationship and the subsequent album drama. The comment suggested a sense of relief that the brief romance was over and that her family was spared a permanent connection to the global pop star's intense spotlight.

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3. Dismissing the TTPD Album as a 'Diss Track'

Following the controversy, Welch appeared to double down on her dismissal of the album's impact. She broke her silence again, referring to the entire TTPD narrative as simply a "diss track" about her son. This phrasing minimizes the artistic and commercial success of the album, framing it instead as a personal attack against Matty Healy.

This public stance served to support her son, whose own response to the album's speculation has been minimal. By calling it a "diss track," Welch positioned herself as a protective mother defending her child from a public shaming, further fueling the celebrity feud narrative.

The Unlikely 2025 Christmas Chart Showdown

The most recent and perhaps most surreal development in the Denise Welch-Taylor Swift saga is their head-to-head battle for the UK Christmas Number One single in 2025. This confrontation has taken the celebrity rivalry from passive-aggressive comments to a direct commercial competition.

4. Welch's Hyperpop Christmas Banger: 'Slayyy Bells'

In a move that surprised the entertainment world, Denise Welch, at 67, entered the music fray with a Christmas single boldly titled 'Slayyy Bells.' The track was described by her team as "the hyperpop Christmas banger of 2025," a genre choice that is both unexpected and highly relevant to current pop culture trends.

The release of 'Slayyy Bells' put her in direct contention with Taylor Swift, who is a perennial fixture on the charts, often with holiday releases or simply the enduring popularity of her vast catalog, particularly during major sales periods. The media immediately seized on the narrative of the *Loose Women* icon challenging the Eras Tour star.

5. The Media Frenzy: A Mother's Ultimate Shade

The Christmas chart battle has been widely viewed as Denise Welch's ultimate, albeit playful, act of "shade" against the American pop icon. While the song itself may not directly reference Taylor Swift or Matty Healy, the timing and the sheer audacity of the competition have solidified the narrative of a strange, yet compelling, rivalry.

The competition between the veteran actress's unexpected foray into hyperpop and Swift's expected chart dominance is the perfect culmination of their public drama. It provides a light-hearted, yet competitive, new chapter to the Matty Healy-inspired conflict, ensuring that the names Denise Welch and Taylor Swift remain inextricably linked in the celebrity news cycle for the foreseeable future. The outcome of the 2025 Christmas Number One race is now a major talking point for entertainment analysts and the general public alike.

Topical Authority and Key Entities in the Swift-Welch Saga

The story of Denise Welch and Taylor Swift is a complex web of celebrity connections, media commentary, and musical inspiration. To fully understand the depth of this public relationship, it’s essential to recognize the key entities involved:

• Matty Healy: The central figure, frontman of The 1975, and Denise Welch's son, whose brief romance with Taylor Swift is the catalyst for the entire drama.
• The 1975: Matty Healy's band, which is often referenced in the context of the TTPD lyrics.
• The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD): Taylor Swift's 2024 album containing the alleged "diss tracks."
• Loose Women: The British daytime talk show where Denise Welch serves as a panellist and frequently offers her commentary.
• Andy Cohen: The host of *Watch What Happens Live*, who directly questioned Welch about the TTPD album, leading to her most controversial remarks.
• "Slayyy Bells": Denise Welch's 2025 hyperpop single competing for the Christmas Number One spot.
• Swifties: The highly engaged and protective fanbase of Taylor Swift, who often react strongly to any perceived criticism of the star.
• Natalie Barnes / Steph Haydock: Iconic soap opera characters played by Welch, representing her long-standing career outside of the current drama.

Whether this celebrity rivalry is genuine or merely a masterful piece of public relations is still up for debate. However, the unexpected chart battle and the ongoing commentary from the *Loose Women* star have cemented the Denise Welch and Taylor Swift saga as one of the most intriguing and unique celebrity stories of the 2020s. For now, all eyes are on the 2025 Christmas charts to see if the "hyperpop Christmas banger" can truly "slay" the global pop titan.