isubscribe REWARDS
Instant £2.50 credit > Read more

'Hiddleswift' Rears Its Head One Last Time

As he graces the front cover of GQ looking every inch the dashing British movie star, Tom Hiddleston opens up about the most infamous moment of 2016…

We may have thought the drama was over. Alas, for Tom Hiddleston it appears that no interview will ever go by without mentioning that doomed and well-publicised relationship that was splashed across every tabloid page, glaringly and unflinchingly illuminated by the flash-bulbs of the world’s paparazzi as they found the seemingly happy couple hidden behind some small rocks on a thought-to-be-secluded beach.

Yes, Hiddleswift. Tom Hiddleston, crème de la crème of British acting and a Marvel villain tour-de-force, and Taylor Swift, American pop sweetheart and recent ex of Calvin Harris. This modern day version of Romeo and Juliet may have seen their relationship burn out quicker than a Molotov cocktail, but now Hiddleston has broken rank to face up to some of the claims about his latest romance that have dogged him since that fateful day when he was seen gallivanting about in sea-foam wearing a tank-top with the words ‘I ♥ T.S’ on it.

"The truth is, it was the Fourth of July and a public holiday and we were playing a game and I slipped and hurt my back,” told Tom to GQ. "And I wanted to protect the graze from the sun and said, 'Does anyone have a T-shirt?' And one of her friends said, ’I’ve got this.’ And we all laughed about it. It was a joke.”

And what of the rumours that Swift had snafued herself a cinematic star for some bizarre performance art music video? The Night Manager star insists the romance was “real” and describes Swift as “incredible” and “an amazing woman.”

But there seems to be something about that tank-top that still sticks in the 36-year-old’s craw.

“The narratives that are out there altogether have been extrapolated from pictures that were taken without consent or permission, with no context,” he said. “Nobody had the context for that story. And I’m still trying to work out a way of having a personal life and protecting it, but also without hiding. So the hardest thing is that that was a joke among friends on the Fourth of July.”

"I was just surprised that it got so much attention. The tank top became an emblem of this thing.”

And though the seasons may change and the world may continue to spin on its axis, it does seem that the harrowing image of Hiddleston frolicking amongst the waves may well continue to haunt him.

For more dapper interviews and dashing stars, grab a subscription to GQ – and save up to 38% off.

Join isubscribe Rewards and you can earn an instant 250 points.
That's £2.50 credit off your next purchase!