Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran perform surprise duet at Wembley

Taylor Swift has returned to the stage a week after her Vienna shows were axed after a foiled terror plot, surprising fans in London with a special duet.

Taylor Swift fans went into meltdown as she brought Ed Sheeran to the stage for a surprise duet at the first of five sold out London shows, as the star is said to have privately reached out to the families of three children killed in a mass stabbing in the UK.

The US star returned to Wembley Stadium to perform before a 92,000-strong crowd a week after her concerts in Vienna were cancelled due to a foiled suicide attack plot.

It also came just over two weeks after three girls were killed in a mass stabbing at a dance class themed around her music in Southport, northwest England.

Swift and close friend Sheeran, 33, performed several hits, including two Swift tracks they collaborated on and Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” as a surprise song.

Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran give a surprise duet at Wembley.

Swift and Sheeran are close friends.

“This is one of my best friends in the world to the point where I feel like he’s a second brother of mine,” Swift said as the pair linked arms.
“We toured together on the Red Tour. Every time I am doing the Red part of this show, I think about the memories that we’ve made. And now he is someone who plays Wembley like, every week. This is like, regular for him. And he works so hard, and he’s on tour right now and he’s probably so tired. But he wanted to come and play for you and do this for all of us so give it up for Ed Sheeran.”

The emotional show follows the events in Vienna and the tragic deaths of Bebe King, six, Alice Aguiar, nine, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, who were killed in a knife rampage in Southport on July 29.

The artist performed before 92,000 people at Wembley Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

Taylor Swift sparkles on the Wembley Stadium stage. Picture: Getty Images

The 34-year-old appeared on the Wembley stage for her hit song “22” wearing a T-shirt bearing the words “a lot going on at the moment” – a fashion statement interpreted as a reference to both incidents.

Following the UK knife attack, Swift said she was “completely in shock” and at a “complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families” impacted.

For her hit song “22” wearing a T-shirt bearing the words “a lot going on at the moment”.

The BBC reported that she has privately reached out to them.

A source told The Sun: “Taylor may not have spoken about Elsie Dot, Alice and Bebe on stage but she has reached out to their families.

“It is something that has weighed heavily on her mind.”

Swifties arrive at Wembley Stadium ahead of her performance. Picture: Getty Images

Police officers talk to a Swiftie dressed in the jersey of the star’s partner Travis Kelce. Picture: AFP

Meanwhile her fans launched a fundraiser for the victims, which raised nearly £400,000 ($514,000) under the banner “Swifties for Southport”.

Extra security, including additional ticket checks, hundreds of stewards and extra restrictions, did not dampen the spirits of so-called “Swifties” out in force.

“After Vienna, it’s good to hear that they’ve upped the security,” student Brodie MacArthur, 23, told AFP, as she arrived wearing a long white dress inspired by Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department”.

Swifties gather on Olympic Way outside Wembley Stadium in London ahead of the show. Picture: AFP

"Swifties" pose in front of the 'Swiftie Steps', a mural created by the British artist Frank Styles, outside Wembley Stadium. Picture: AFP

“I was worried, because this is the first concert after that (Vienna). So I was afraid to look at my phone and see something,” said Denise, who flew in with Lauren from US state New Jersey.

“I was really nervous, I thought for sure she would consider cancelling her shows here,” said

Security at Wembley Stadium was heightened after a foiled terror plot at Swift’s Vienna concert. Picture: Getty Images

A police officer speaks with Taylor Swift fans outside Wembley Stadium ahead of her performance in London. Picture: Getty Images

Three alleged Islamic State group sympathisers have been detained in Austria over a plan to launch an attack using explosives and knives on the Swift concerts.

London police said there was “nothing to indicate” any links between the Vienna events and Swift’s gigs in the UK capital in front of 90,000 fans.

But it was working “closely with venue security teams and other partners to ensure there are appropriate security and policing plans in place”.

Originally published as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran perform surprise duet at Wembley