Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Lily Allen

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Lily Allen.

Lily Allen is an English singer, songwriter, actress, and author who gained recognition in 2005 by publishing her music on Myspace, leading to radio play and a record deal. Her debut single, "Smile," topped the UK charts in 2006 and was certified double Platinum. Allen's debut album, "Alright, Still" (2006), received positive reviews, reached number two in the UK, sold over 2.6 million copies worldwide, and earned a Grammy nomination. The album also produced successful follow-up singles like "LDN" and "Alfie."

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

June 2007: Arrest for Alleged Assault

On 28 June 2007, Lily Allen was arrested in London for allegedly assaulting photographer Kevin Rush while leaving a nightclub.

2008: Initial Contact from Stalker

In 2008, Alex Gray first made contact with Lily Allen, beginning a seven-year stalking ordeal.

February 2009: Discontinuation of Blog Controversies

By February 2009, Lily Allen stopped addressing controversies on her blog, finding it "boring when people just pick stuff up and write about it."

May 2009: Fake Interview Controversy

In May 2009, French football magazine So Foot published a fake interview in which Lily Allen was quoted as making derogatory remarks.

October 2009: Social Media Deletion

In October 2009, Lily Allen deleted her social media accounts, announcing "I am now a neo-luddite."

February 2010: Social Media Return

In February 2010, Lily Allen re-activated her social media accounts.

November 2013: Cover of "Somewhere Only We Know" and release of "Hard Out Here"

In November 2013, Lily Allen recorded a cover of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" for a John Lewis Christmas advert, with proceeds benefiting Save the Children's Philippine Typhoon Appeal. It hit number one in the UK. Also in November 2013, she released "Hard Out Here", which entered the UK charts at number nine. The video for "Hard out Here" sparked controversy, accused of being racist, prompting Allen to address the accusations.

2014: Adderall Addiction

In 2014, Lily Allen became addicted to Adderall to lose weight before touring with Miley Cyrus.

2014: Infidelity during tour

In 2014, Lily Allen had sex with female escorts while married to Sam Cooper and on tour promoting Sheezus. These events were detailed in her memoir.

October 2015: Stalker's Threatening Email

In October 2015, Lily Allen's stalker sent an email to his mother stating he was planning on murdering a celebrity and went on to spend nights in Allen's back garden.

April 2016: Stalker Conviction

In April 2016, Alex Gray, Lily Allen's stalker, was convicted of burglary and harassment.

April 2016: London Election Vote

In April 2016, during the London assembly and mayoral elections, Lily Allen announced that she would be giving "half her vote to the Women's Equality Party".

June 2016: Support for Jeremy Corbyn

In June 2016, Lily Allen published several tweets and attended protests in support of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, after mass resignations from his cabinet and a leadership challenge.

November 2016: Apology for "Hard Out Here" video

In November 2016, Lily Allen apologized for the 2013 "Hard Out Here" music video, acknowledging its problematic elements in an interview with Annie Mac.

June 2017: Grenfell Tower Fire Comments

On 15 June 2017, Lily Allen appeared on Channel 4 News to discuss the Grenfell Tower fire and claimed that the death count had been downplayed by the mainstream media, disputing the official figure.

September 2018: Instagram post about past infidelity

On September 2, 2018, Lily Allen posted on Instagram about having had sex with female escorts in 2014 while married to Cooper, ahead of a Daily Mail article. She attributed these events to her postnatal depression and the breakdown of her marriage.

November 2019: Labour Party Support

In November 2019, during the 2019 UK general election campaign, Lily Allen declared that the Labour Party manifesto was "the best I've ever seen" and shared a picture of her polling card with the caption: "Tories OUT."

January 2021: Adderall Addiction Revelation

In January 2021, Lily Allen discussed her Adderall addiction, which started in 2014 as a means to lose weight before touring with Miley Cyrus. She later sought recovery when she was tempted to try heroin.