Hiddleswift Breakup: Was Taylor Swift, Tom Hiddleston’s Relationship Real Or A Publicity Stunt?

Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston are officially over — but don’t feel too bad for either of them just yet. Following the demise of their highly publicized relationship, many fans are questioning the legitimacy of Hiddleswift.

TMZ hinted Wednesday that their picturesque relationship may have been a effort put forth by their teams to maintain appearances following a fling after the Met Gala in May. “People who were around Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston are talking about their relationship or lack thereof, and a lot comes down to timing,” the site wrote.

The publication reports that those in charge of Taylor’s brand likely knew it would look better if their romance, which took place shortly after the “Blank Space” singer and boyfriend Calvin Harris called it quits, served as the beginning of a rebound relationship, and not just a fling.

Swift, 26, and Hiddleston, 35, reportedly ended their relationship on July 27. Rumors swirled that the couple, photographed together a number of times during their brief relationship, had called it quits, though neither star’s camp addressed the rumors. TMZ reports it was Taylor’s camp who “leaked the breakup,” which was made public Tuesday.

Swift and Hiddleston wouldn’t be the first couple to fake it for the sake of publicity. Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley are thought to have gotten together in the 90s to repair the “Thriller” singer’s tarnished reputation after he was accused of having molested a small child. Presley denied those rumors in a 2010 interview with Oprah Winfrey, but questions remain about the legitimacy of their whirlwind romance. Similarly, John Travolta and Kelly Preston, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise and many more have been accused of having engaged fake relationships for the sake of their public image.

While it remains unclear whether Swift and Hiddleston’s relationship was real, their breakup is said to have been “amicable.” Entertainment Tonight spoke to sources with knowledge of their romance who claimed there is no bad blood between Swift or Hiddleston. Another source told Us Weekly the Grammy award-winning musician felt things had gotten too “public” between her and her actor beau. She is said to have approached Hiddleston about these feelings on more than one occasion, but he failed to listen, resulting in their demise.

“She was the one to put the brakes on the relationship,” an insider said. “Tom wanted the relationship to be more public than she was comfortable with. Taylor knew the backlash that comes with public displays of affection but Tom didn’t listen to her concerns when she brought them up.”

Neither Swift nor Hiddleston has spoken out about their reported breakup.