When Taylor Swift and Matty Healy briefly dated back in 2023, Denise Welch was all for the union, even posing with Taylor Swift for selfies.
However, after their short-lived romance ended, Denise was tight-lipped on the relationship, until she appeared on Andy Cohen's podcast this summer, seemingly alluding to the fact that she wasn't allowed to speak on the topic.
Denise was asked by Andy Cohen what she thought of the fallout following her 1975 star son's relationship with Taylor, to which she responded: "Not being her mother-in-law is a role that I'm glad that I lost."
She added: "Not that I have anything against her at all. It was just, you know, it was tricky. But, listen, you're not allowed to say anything, but then she writes a whole album about it?"
Upon the release of said album, The Tortured Poets Department, which was released in April 2024, it was widely interpreted by music critics and fans to detail the 2023 romance, with tracks such as 'Guilty as Sin?' and 'The Black Dog' containing seemingly pointed references to Matty.
Taylor and Denise's new battle
History aside, Taylor and Denise are soon set to be locked into a new battle, with both entertainers vying for the UK's coveted Christmas number one.
The Official Charts Company said Taylor's songs 'Opalite' and 'Elizabeth Taylor', which have yet to reach number one, could be contenders in the chart race, alongside Denise's Christmas single, 'Slayyy Bells', described as "the hyperpop Christmas banger of 2025", with tongue in cheek lyrics such as "we're serving looks, not turkey" and "it's time to put the slay in sleighbells".
Of her bid for chart success, Denise wrote on Instagram: "My message to you is, however you spend your holidays, have lots and lots of fun, hun."
Novelty tracks, including British blogger couple LadBaby's ode to sausage rolls, 'We Built This City', have been known to hit number one in the charts at Christmas, so it's not totally inconceivable that Denise will top the charts…
Taylor Swift's Christmas songs
While neither of Taylor's chart contenders are specifically Christmas songs, the singer is believed to have recently filmed a festive video in the UK, which could make her the frontrunner.
In the past she has released Christmas music, such as her 2019 hit, Christmas Tree Farm, plus a whole festive album, The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, released in 2007, which includes covers of Santa Baby and Last Christmas.
Let the battle for Christmas number one commence…