Taylor Swift reacts to backup singer's cancer diagnosis

Taylor Swift is opening up about one of the most emotional moments she faced during the Eras Tour, learning that her longtime backup singer Jeslyn Gorman had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

In the third episode of the End of an Era docuseries, released Friday, Swift shared how deeply the news affected her while she was on the road. 

The singer described herself as being emotionally overwhelmed at the time, saying she would “never forget” the moment she found out. 

“It’s the not knowing,” Swift said, reflecting on the fear she felt, adding that the “blow … unfathomable.”

Gorman also revisited that moment in the episode, recalling Swift’s immediate and heartfelt response. 

“When I let Taylor know, she came storming in with hugs and crying and just, ‘I’m so sorry,’” she said. 

Gorman added that Swift’s mother, Andrea Swift, offered reassurance, telling her, “‘Take care of you, and we’ll be here when ready.’”

For the next six months, Gorman stepped away from the record-breaking tour to focus on treatment, undergoing chemotherapy, surgery and dealing with difficult skin issues. 

She spoke candidly about the physical changes she experienced, sharing, “I usually have all this curly hair. I lost 75 percent of my hair. I felt and looked completely different.”

Despite everything, Gorman remained determined to return. 

After asking her doctor how soon she could rejoin the tour, she was told she could come back “the night” she finished radiation, as long as she worked on rebuilding her strength. 

Another backup dancer confirmed in the docuseries, “She literally finished radiation and got on a plane.”

Swift expressed disbelief and admiration at her colleague’s strength. 

“I cannot believe she was back in a few months,” she said. “The will to come back and do the hardest show ever — none of us could believe it. I still can’t.”

The singer also spoke warmly about the close bond within her touring team, calling them a “professional family” that supports one another through life’s highs and lows. 

She singled out Gorman in particular, saying, “There are people I just got to know in this phase of my life. Jeslyn is one of the most talented, resilient people I’ve ever been around.”

One of Gorman’s first shows back was captured in the episode, showing her performing with ponytail extensions and later praising Swift backstage. 

“You like to shed light on people and make them feel bigger than they think they are,” she told Swift. “It’s never a ‘me,’ it’s always a ‘we.’”