Taylor Swift's ex Joe Alwyn breaks silence on their 'unusual' break-up

Joe Alwyn wants fans to understand the "difficulties" of his breakup with Taylor Swift. 

The 33-year-old actor dated pop megastar Taylor, 34, from 2016 until 2023 and when asked if he thinks her latest album 'The Tortured Poets Department' was inspired by their split, he explained that there were certain problems that came with the sudden end of his "loving, fully committed relationship" after such a long period of time. 

He told The Sunday Times Style Magazine: "In thinking on what I was going to say, I would think and hope that anyone and everyone can empathise. … This isn’t a direct answer to your question, but just thinking about what I want to talk about. 
"I would hope that anyone and everyone can empathise and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years. That is a hard thing to navigate." 

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn were in a relationship from 2016 to 2023. Alwyn was asked if Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, was inspired by their break-up. Photo / NBC via NZH

The 'Stars At Noon' actor lamented that he was put in an "unusual" situation with his split from Taylor - who is now in a relationship with NFL player Travis Kelce -  because they are both in the public eye and hinted that the truth was different to what had been discussed in the media. 

He said: "What is unusual and abnormal in this situation is that, one week later, it’s suddenly in the public domain and the outside world is able to weigh in.” 

“So you have something very real suddenly thrown into a very unreal space: tabloids, social media, press, where it is then dissected, speculated on, pulled out of shape beyond recognition. 

"And the truth is, to that last point, there is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said. I have made my peace with that." 

- Bang! Showbiz