Tom Hiddleston fell uncomfortably silent when he was asked about his ex Taylor Swift in a new interview, nine years after their split.

The pair conducted a whirlwind summer romance in 2016 before going their separate ways that September in a breakup a source described as ‘amicable.’

During their time together, Tom became the subject of much teasing after he was seen wearing an ‘I [heart] T.S.’ tank top while having fun on the beach with Taylor.

Recently, he once again faced questions about her during a promotional tour for his new film, The Life of Chuck, alongside co-star Karen Gillan on the radio show Heart.

The opening question was about how Tom and Karen spend their evenings, to which Tom responded that he enjoys watching and reading sports coverage.

Host Devin Griffin remarked: ‘We just heard – Taylor Swift is a huge fan of a sourdough recipe blog,’ leading Tom to go silent, his face remaining unchanged.

Tom Hiddleston fell uncomfortably silent when he was asked about his ex Taylor Swift in a new interview, nine years after their split

The couple had an exciting summer romance in 2016, which ended that September in what was called an ‘amicable’ breakup by a source; photographed in July 2016.

‘They’re very very specific but I can see how you can get into that,’ Devin prodded further, as his flustered guest furrowed his brow slightly.

Karen quickly leapt to Tom’s rescue, jumping into the exchange with an answer about how the sourdough blog felt ‘like an Easter egg for something.’

She shared a recent TikTok video she had seen, suggesting that Taylor might be using the sourdough as a clue hinting she could perform at next year’s Super Bowl.

The subject was then quickly changed and Karen and Tom were able to discuss their upcoming movie, with the subject of Taylor left in the rearview.

Tom and Taylor were first glimpsed out together as a couple in mid-June 2015, just after her breakup from Scottish DJ Calvin Harris.

By the end of that month, Taylor had introduced Tom to her parents in Nashville and he had introduced her to his mother in England.

Throughout that summer, they were frequently spotted together, generating so much attention that after their separation, Tom was compelled to refute claims that they had been in a ‘showmance,’ in an interview with GQ.

During that outing, he was seen wearing an ‘I [heart] T.S.’ tank top and sporting a removable heart tattoo containing a ‘T’ on one of his triceps.

Host Devin Griffin said: ‘We did just find out – Taylor Swift, big fan of a sourdough recipe blog,’ prompting Tom to become quiet and expressionless

Karen quickly leapt to Tom’s rescue, jumping into the exchange with an answer about how the sourdough blog felt ‘like an Easter egg for something.’

Tom and his fiancée Zawe Ashton announced in June that they are expecting their second baby – hours before she debuted her bump at the London premiere of The Life of Chuck 

She has now been publicly involved with NFL superstar Travis Kelce for nearly two years, during which they have also denied ‘showmance’ allegations

Tom became a global subject of derision over the tank top, which he later insisted was merely a private ‘joke’ between ‘friends.’

He explained: ‘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. And I wanted to protect the graze from the sun and said: “Does anyone have a T-shirt?”‘

A pal of Taylor’s responded by producing the ‘I [heart] T.S.’ tank top and ‘we all laughed about it,’ Tom insisted. ‘It was a joke.’

By September 2016, the romance had ended in ‘an amicable split,’ per a People source, and that fall she began her seven-year relationship with Joe Alwyn.

She has now been publicly involved with NFL superstar Travis Kelce for nearly two years, during which they have also denied ‘showmance’ allegations.

Meanwhile Tom has been engaged to actress Zawe Ashton since May 2022, five months before she gave birth to their first child.

They joyously announced this June that they are expecting their second baby – hours before Zawe debuted her bump at the London premiere of The Life of Chuck.