Scott Swift and Taylor Swift at the 2011 CMT Artists of the year celebration. Photo / Getty Images
Taylor Swift’s father appears to have bad blood with Australian paparazzi.
Daily Mail has reported the 71-year-old father of the popstar was allegedly involved in an altercation with 51-year-old paparazzo Ben McDonald, mere hours after the singer performed her last Sydney show.
The news outlet reported the alleged incident took place at a Neutral Bay ferry wharf at 3am on Tuesday morning, local time, when Swift was hosting a post-show celebration with her team and parents Scott and Andrea Swift.
McDonald told the outlet that he was on the wharf when Swift and her father disembarked from a boat. The photographer claims Scott then “charged” at him, adding: “He probably decided he needed to defend his daughter, for some reason.”
Sydney’s North Shore Police Command told the Daily Mail an investigation was under way into the alleged assault.
The alleged assault comes after the Grammy winner’s father won the hearts of fans with his sweet gestures during the Australian leg of her tour.
On the first night of his daughter’s Eras Tour Melbourne shows, the Daily Mail reported he generously gave some lucky fans an extravagant present in the form of two A$2000 ($2119) VIP wristbands.
Elsewhere, when his daughter was performing in Sydney, he was spotted handing out sandwiches and fruit to fans during the show. One fan shared a video of the moment on X (formerly Twitter), writing “Papa Swift giving out sandwiches and fruits”, causing many to reply with kind words.
One said: “Papa Swift, you’re awesome” while another dubbed Scott Swift “Best dad in the world”.
Scott Swift and his wife Andrea are often seen at their daughter’s shows and are known to tour with her.
This is not the first time celebrity photographer McDonald has had bad blood with a celebrity and their family. In 2005 he was on the receiving end of a restraining order from Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman.
Kidman obtained a temporary order against McDonald and fellow paparazzo Jamie Fawcett in the mid-2000s, accusing them of aggressive behaviour that made her feel like a prisoner in her own home.
A judge later said they needed to sort out their issues like “intelligent people”. “There’s no issue that these gentlemen are quite entitled to go about their business and Ms Kidman seems able to accept that,” the judge said.
