Feel the awkwardness as Tom Hiddleston bats back Taylor Swift interview question

So it’s agreed – the quickest way to create an awkward atmosphere in any interview with Tom Hiddleston is to ask about his brief romantic dalliance with Taylor Swift.

In fact, just broaching the subject of ‘Hiddleswift’, as it was portmanteau-ed, will likely result in Hiddles sending you some daggers across the studio floor.

So was the experience of Savannah Guthrie on the US breakfast show ‘Today’, who even found that the caveat ‘don’t kill me for asking!’ didn’t hold much water.

Clearly not up for discussing it, there was an awkward silence, then an even more awkward laugh, and then the clear shut down.

“I make a clear distinction between my work, which I absolutely dedicate myself to, which is for the public,” he said.

“I really believe in that relationship between an actor and the audience. You can’t call yourself an actor without the audience. And my private life is private.”

Later questions about his penchant for dancing didn’t really bring things around, either.

It echoes a recent and very frosty exchange during an interview with the Daily Telegraph.

Asked whether he regretted anything about the relationship, Hiddleston ‘shot back testily’: “What should I regret, in your mind?

“I would rather not talk about this if that’s alright.”

See Hiddleston (and not Taylor Swift) in ‘Kong: Skull Island’ from March 9 across the UK.

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