Taylor Swift breaks down in tears after meeting Southport attack families in new documentary

12 December 2025, 12:49 | Updated: 12 December 2025, 13:21

Taylor Swift in The End Of An Era documentary — Taylor Swift shares heartbreaking behind the scenes of meeting Southport attack victims' families. Picture: Disney+

By Abbie Reynolds

Taylor Swift is shown devastated and in tears after meeting with the families of the Southport attack victims in her Eras Tour Disney+ documentary The End of an Era.

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In Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Disney+ documentary The End of an Era, it's clear to see that the star's record-breaking tour was intended to be nothing but a celebration of love, music, and community.

However, that was threatened twice during the tour, first when Taylor had to cancel shows in Austria due to a terrorist plot, which she described as "dodging a massacre", and secondly, when a man performed a frenzied knife attack in Southport, Liverpool at a Taylor Swift themed dance party.

The Southport incident was described by a Chief Constable as a "ferocious attack" after three young children, aged seven, six and nine were murdered and eight others were seriously injured alongside two adults.

What was a horrific incident, Taylor didn't take lightly and in her new documentary she shows the behind the scenes of her response to the attack.

Read more: Taylor Swift Fans Raise Huge Sum Of Money For Southport Victims

Taylor Swift's mum tries to comfort her. Picture: Disney+

'We're in London, at my hotel. Basically, it's just kind of a weird feeling going into these last five shows in Europe because it sort of feels like, we've done 128 shows so far but this is there first one where I feel like, I'm skating on thin ice or something," she began saying in documentary.

Referencing the Austria terrorist plot and Southport attack, Taylor added: "We've had a series of very violent, scary things happen to the tour."

Before breaking down into tears, she explained: "There was this horrible attack in Liverpool at a Taylor Swift themed dance party and it was little kids that..."

She was unable to continue speaking about it, as she said through tears that she has a hard time discussing the topic. Taylor went on to reveal she was planning to meet up with the families affected by the attack before her first London show.

Ahead of seeing them she said: "It's going to be fine because when I meet them I'm not going to do this [cry], I swear to god.

"I'm going to be smiley, all of this has to go away before you ever get on stage. You lock it off, for three and a half hours, they [the fans] don't have to worry about you."

Floral tributes for the victims of the attack in Southport. Picture: Getty

Taylor didn't share footage of the meeting in the documentary, but it was well documented by fans at the time.

One of the mums posted a TikTok of the encounter writing: "You drew stars around my scars. The biggest thank you to @TaylorSwift and her mum for making the most magical night possible for us all."

In The End of an Era, Taylor is shown moments after meeting with the families. She is unable to compose herself as she sits in floods of tears. Her mum, Andrea, tried to comfort her. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but I know you helped them," she said.

Taylor is heard saying in the voiceover: "From a mental standpoint I just do live in a reality that's very unreal a lot of the time, but it's my job to be able to handle all of these feelings and then perk up immediately to perform. That's just the way it's got to be."

Her comment is reminiscent of the meaning behind her The Tortured Poets Department track 'I Can Do It With A Broken Heart'.

Taylor Swift in tears moments before going on stage. Picture: Disney+

At the time of the attack, Taylor addressed it in a statement that read: "The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I'm just completely in shock..

"The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the Families, and first responders.

"These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families."