Phil Collins is delighted Taylor Swift has enjoyed so much success

Phil Collins believes Taylor Swift "deserves" to be the "hugest thing in the world".

The In the Air Tonight hitmaker will never forget being "blown away completely" when he saw the Shake it Off singer perform for the first time back in 2010 and he is "so pleased" she has gone on to such great things with her career.

Speaking to Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2's Tracks of My Years, he explained why he had chosen Taylor's song White Horse: "I was at an event, Songwriters Hall of Fame. This was way, way back. And Taylor Swift, I met her.

"And [my daughter] Lily introduced me, funnily enough, because she knew her. And I met her and I'd kind of known the name, but she wasn't anywhere near the star she is today.

"This very nice lady then got up on stage with a guitar and sang White Horse, and it blew me away completely because not only was the song great, and the sentiment of the song really got me, but she sang it beautifully. And it was just so simple, you know, her on a guitar.

"I've always had a soft spot for this song since then and I'm so pleased that she's the hugest thing in the world now because she kind of feels like she deserves it.

"I mean it's easy to knock someone that's got so much success, but I think she really deserves it."