Lily Allen has apologised to Edith Bowman for branding her a 'trollop' in a 2006 MySpace post, calling the attack unjustified. The singer, 41, admitted in a recent interview with Perfect Magazine that there was 'absolutely no f***ing reason' for targeting the Scottish radio and TV presenter, 52, who is now 52.
The MySpace post that sparked a two-decade feud
Allen's original post, preserved on the now-defunct social media platform MySpace, was more detailed. She complained about being 'rudely awoken' by Bowman on the radio, called her a 'trollop', and mocked her for being 'BESTEST friends' with anyone in a band, particularly those wearing 'skinny jeans and stripey cardigans'. The singer also took issue with Bowman's enthusiasm for The Magic Numbers, ending her rant with an exasperated 'AGAIN'.
Bowman previously recalled confronting Allen face-to-face when she had to interview the singer at T in the Park, by which point Allen had scored a number one single. 'When Lily Allen was just coming out, she was not very nice and put something on MySpace about me and then got to number one,' Bowman said. 'I remember I had to interview her. It was raining and she was in a poncho and prom dress and trainers. I went up and said, “Hello, what’s the problem? What have I done to offend you?”'
Allen's retrospective apology and current relationship
According to Bowman, Allen admitted at the time she had been listening to Radio 1 every day hoping the DJ would play her music and had simply 'lashed out' when it didn't happen. Bowman added that Allen apologised then, explaining: 'I'm the type of person who speaks before I think.' Two decades later, the apology is now officially on the record.
In the same interview, Allen offered a candid assessment of dating her, admitting she requires a lot of reassurance from a partner. She has been romantically linked to Jonah Freud, 29, for at least eight months, though she stopped short of naming him. Freud is the son of PR executive Matthew Freud and his ex-wife Caroline Hutton, and the nephew of late artist Lucian Freud. Allen and Freud were seen kissing at her Christmas party at Stringfellow's in London in December and have since been spotted together on dates and holidays. The relationship marks Allen's first serious romance since her four-year marriage to Stranger Things actor David Harbour ended.
Life after marriage and the West End Girl tour
Allen said life has become less dramatic now she is no longer 'going out and getting wasted', but admitted romance can bring out a needier side. 'I'm high maintenance in a relationship,' she said. 'I'm like “Do you love me?” “Are you gonna leave me?” “I'm ugly, aren't I?” I need a lot of validation.'
Allen is currently taking West End Girl around Europe and the US, with the production staged like a play rather than a conventional concert, featuring updated costumes and set pieces. The album drew heavily on the breakdown of her marriage to Harbour, though she has stressed that its 14 tracks combine reality with fiction and should not be treated as 'gospel'. Harbour recently addressed the record, describing the experience of hearing it as 'weird'. Speaking to Variety, he said he believed every artist had the right to use their experiences to make art and respected Allen for doing so, but declined to discuss the details of their marriage. He added that while Allen had channelled 'her experience' into the record, 'it wasn't my experience'.
