Taylor to stop touring in December

Taylor Swift said the Eras tour has been the “most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life” as she confirmed it will end in December.

The pop superstar played the first of three back-to-back shows at Liverpool’s Anfield on Thursday as part of her record-breaking tour, before she is set to play in Cardiff, London and Dublin.

Celebrating the 100th show of the tour, Swift confirmed it will be coming to a close at the end of the year, having added dates in South America, Asia, Australia, Europe, and an additional North American leg since she first announced the tour in November 2022.

During the section of the show dedicated to her 2012 Red album – at the stadium which is home to Liverpool Football Club, dubbed the Reds – she told the audience in videos circulating online: “You know, this is actually the 100th show of the tour.

“Absolutely, that blows my mind. That doesn’t feel like a real statistic to me, because this has definitely been the most exhausting, all-encompassing, but most joyful, most rewarding, most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life, this tour.”

Swift said the 100th show marked the first time she has admitted to herself “that this tour is going to end in December, like that’s it”.

“I think that this tour has really become my entire life,” the 34-year-old continued.

“It has taken over everything.

“I think I once had hobbies, but I don’t know what they were anymore, because all I do when I’m not on-stage is sit at home, and try to think of clever acoustic song mashups, and think about what you might want to hear.

“When I’m not on the stage, I’m dreaming about being back on the stage with you guys.”

Swift praised her fans who had “done so much to be with us”.

“You’ve made plans so far in advance, you planned what you were going to wear, you memorised lyrics, you got yourselves here, you figured out parking, you figured out transportation, and I want to spend the 100th show just thinking about that, and living in this moment with you, and being here with you.

“Just know that I appreciate every single ounce of effort that you put in to be with us when this tour reaches triple digits of shows, so thank you.”

Swift then played the 10-minute version of 2021 hit song All Too Well.

The UK leg of Swift’s mammoth international Eras tour began in Edinburgh and saw the enthusiastic dancing of the nearly 73,000 Swifties picked up by earthquake monitors 3.7 miles away.

Swift is set to return to London in August to end the UK and European stint of the tour, which is estimated to be worth up to £1 billion to the UK economy.

Her last show will be on December 8 in Vancouver, according to her website.