NEWS REPORT: Taylor Swift Breaks Down in New Docuseries Detailing Vienna Terror Plot and Stabbing That Killed 3 Fans
Taylor Swift Breaks Down in New Docuseries Detailing Vienna Terror Plot and Stabbing That Killed 3 Fans - BBC
Taylor Swift is publicly addressing one of the darkest chapters of her record-shattering Eras Tour, reflecting on the violent threats and devastating fan tragedy that unfolded during her 2024 European run.
Swift’s new Disney+ docuseries, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour | The End of an Era, premiered Friday, Dec. 12, with the first two episodes offering an emotional look behind the scenes as the superstar confronted a terror plot, mourned the deaths of young fans, and struggled to return to the stage.
The series revisits the August 2024 incident in Vienna, where Swift abruptly canceled three concerts after authorities arrested three men accused of planning an Islamic State–inspired mass-casualty attack. According to the CIA, the foiled plot aimed to kill “tens of thousands of people.”
In Episode 1, Swift describes the days that followed as fraught and disorienting. Preparing to resume performances at Wembley Stadium, she admits she felt like she was “skating on thin ice” after a series of “violent, scary things” involving the tour. “We dodged a massacre situation,” she says at one point, growing visibly emotional.
Backstage footage shows Swift confiding in her mother, Andrea, that she feels “twitchy and fidgety” as she prepares for her Aug. 15 London return. She acknowledges the mental strain of performing under the fear that “something’s gonna happen to your fans at any moment,” but insists she must shield the crowd from that anxiety: “When you’re the ringleader of this show, they can sense any shift in you.”
Swift finds support from friend Ed Sheeran, who rehearses backstage with her before their surprise duet. She tells him she “needed to do this show” to rediscover the joy of performing. After the night’s triumphant performance, Swift calls fiancé Travis Kelce from her car, telling him, “I’m so happy,” as he replies, “I can hear it in your voice.”
But the Vienna plot wasn’t the only tragedy weighing on her. The docuseries also captures Swift processing the fatal stabbing of three girls at a Taylor Swift–themed dance and yoga class in Southport, England, on July 29. Speaking through tears, Swift compares the emotional whiplash to being “a pilot flying a plane” through turbulence while trying to project calm.
Before her first London show, Swift met privately with victims and families affected by the Southport attack. After one meeting, cameras capture the singer—already in costume—breaking down alone moments before taking the stage.
The first two episodes of the six-part series are now streaming. Disney+ also released The Eras Tour | The Final Show, filmed at Swift’s last tour stop in Vancouver in December 2024. The new projects arrive two months after the release of her chart-topping 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.
