Taylor Swift and Matty Healy's reported split was "only a matter of when" according to one PR expert.
The pair are thought to have gone their separate ways after just one month of dating, with the breakup coming after growing concern around Matty's controversial comments.
The 1975 frontman, 34, recently discussed the time he masturbated to porn of "brutalised" women, leading Taylor's horrified fanbase to pen an impassioned open letter to Taylor urging her to address the remarks.
While she never spoke openly about the comments, PR expert Kieran Elsby thinks their split "moves her away from controversy".
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, he said: "I think any celebrity relationship is under the media spotlight.
"With Matty's past comments I felt it was only a matter of when they split."
He added: "Of course, Taylor couldn't say much when in a relationship, but sections of her fanbase were concerned.
"Ultimately Taylor Swift is a brand, carefully managed and the split moves her away from controversy."
The director of Media Global PR told us that the split doesn't seem to have been a "PR stunt", although it's likely Taylor's public image played a part in the decision.
"I don't think the split was a PR stunt, but I think Taylor's PR team will sigh a breath of relief that the split has left Taylor relatively untouched, and they will be ready to move on."
Matty addressed his past comments and claimed they don't "actually matter".
Speaking to The New Yorker, he said: "Nobody is sitting there at night slumped at their computer, and their boyfriend comes over and goes, ‘What’s wrong, darling?’ and they go, ‘It’s just this thing with Matty Healy'.
"That doesn’t happen."
He continued to say that if it does happen, then those affected are "deluded".
News of Matty and Taylor's relationship first started just weeks after her split from Joe Alwyn, who she was with for six years.
Kieran said: "I don't think that Matty was just a rebound, I am sure the relationship started with the best intentions, but I do wonder how long it would take anyone to really get over a serious six-year relationship.
"It would be hard for anyone in this situation, and even more so in a global spotlight."
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