Lily Allen Takes Break from Podcast Amid Mental Health Struggles

LONDON, U.K. — Singer and actor Lily Allen announced on Jan. 12, 2025, that she is stepping away from her BBC podcast, Miss Me?, to focus on her mental health. The 39-year-old artist revealed she has been struggling with a “tough period” in her life, including panic attacks and emotional spirals.

“You’re not going to hear me for a few weeks, listeners,” Allen said during the podcast. “I’m finding it hard to be interested in anything. I’m really not in a good place. I know I’ve been talking about it for months, but I’ve been spiraling and spiraling and spiraling, and it’s got out of control.”

Allen, who has been sober for five years, addressed rumors that her break might be related to drug rehabilitation. “There will be speculation, because of the amount of time that I’m going to be taking away, that I’m going to drug rehab, and I’m not. I’ve not relapsed,” she clarified. She also criticized online gossip, describing it as “horrible blind items on the internet … vicious rumors.”

The artist has previously spoken openly about her past struggles with addiction, including prescription drug Adderall, alcohol, and class A drugs. “Drugs and alcohol were very good at drowning out my inner critic,” she once said. “When you take cocaine, you think all of your ideas are brilliant and need to be shared.”

Allen’s career has spanned music, acting, and podcasting. She rose to fame in the mid-2000s with hits like Smile, The Fear, and her cover of Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know, all of which topped the UK charts. In 2021, she transitioned into acting, earning an Olivier Award nomination for her performance in 2:22 A Ghost Story.

Her podcast, Miss Me?, launched in 2024, has been a platform for candid discussions about her life, including her marriage to actor David Harbour and her two daughters with ex-husband Sam Cooper. On her latest episode, Allen reflected on the challenges of parenting during difficult times. “When things in life are going well and swimmingly and you’re coping, it’s really nice to have the kids around – they’re a joy to be around, in fact one of the main sources of joy in one’s life,” she said. “But when things are not going so well and life is tough – as it is for many people for all manner of reasons – having to hold things together is really hard.”

Co-host Miquita Oliver will continue the podcast during Allen’s absence. The announcement comes amid tabloid speculation about Allen’s personal life, including rumors of marital difficulties with Harbour, which neither party has publicly addressed.