I met Taylor Swift backstage at her Eras Tour – and these were her first two words to me….See More.

As a guitarist in a band I’m used to hanging out pre-show with fellow musicians, but nothing could ever quite beat the day I got to hang out backstage with Taylor Swift.

Excitement was at fever pitch for the arrival of Taylor as her Reputation Tour arrived in the UK in June 2018 – her first UK shows since 2015 and first ever stadium tour.

My Swiftie-mad daughter had begged for tickets to the opening night at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium and luck was at hand as I was tasked by the Daily Express with reviewing the sold-out show.

Excitement in the Jeeves’ household was already at fever pitch before my ‘legendary Dad’ status was cemented just 24 hours before the show when I received a phone call from Taylor’s PR manager asking: “Do you guys want to meet Taylor before the show?”

I was so excited I could barely manage to reply, but stuttered “Yes, please” before eagerly awaiting my daughter and wife to arrive home so I could break the unbelievable news.

The following day we arrived at the venue early with instructions to be at the backstage entrance for 6pm from where we were ushered into the Rep Room – a mini-museum jam-packed with Swiftie artefacts for us to marvel over.

We were then asked to hand over our mobile phones before moments later a door suddenly opened behind us and there stood a towering Taylor Swift.

“Look behind you,” my wife said to my daughter who turned and let out the hugest of screams.

“Well hello,” beamed the superstar as my daughter flew into her arms and gave her the biggest of hugs before sobbing: “I just love you so much.”

Sporting a purple sparkly top, denim shorts and knee-length black boots – with the biggest high heels – she was totally enchanting and engaging company.

We chatted about piano lessons, the joy of playing live on stage – no matter the size of venue – and challenges of an outdoor show in inclement weather.

I was secretly hoping she was going to reveal one of her guitarists had suffered an unexpected injury and they needed an emergency replacement but sadly that proved a dream too far.

An official photo was then taken before as promptly as she had arrived the megastar announced she “had a show to do” and left us totally shell-shocked.

Beaming with unbridled joy – and all asking the same question “Did that really happen” – we were ushered into the stadium, taking our seats just moments before the superstar we had been chatting to minutes earlier took to the stage.