Lily Allen is reflecting on the painful depths she reached during her struggles with alcohol.
In an interview with The Times UK on Saturday, November 30, the 39-year-old “Smile” singer shared the sobering details of her journey, marking five years of sobriety. She spoke candidly about the devastating low point in her life when alcohol had a vice-like grip on her.
“I drank myself into oblivion,” she confessed, revealing a pivotal moment when she showed up at her ex-husband Sam Cooper’s house after discovering he was in a new relationship.
In a deeply emotional account, Allen recalled the distressing aftermath. “I went over to his house and started screaming at him. I woke the kids up. I was really distressing them,” she said. “They remember that. And they know I was under the influence. It’s important for me now that I avoid those situations.”
Allen shares two daughters, Ethel Mary, 13, and Marnie Rose, 11, with Cooper. The experience has left an indelible mark on her, one that she strives to protect her children from.
The turning point came when a friend questioned her need for a drink. It was a moment that filled Allen with shame. “I remember feeling so incensed,” she said. “I was angry that someone could suggest I needed a drink. But deep down, I did. It had control over me. I felt like I was no longer in control of my life. That’s when I decided to go to a meeting the next day.”
Fast forward to today, and Allen, who has been sober for five years, says her life has transformed. “My kids feel safe now. That’s the most important thing for me. I felt very unsafe in my childhood, and I want them to feel the opposite.”
The impact of addiction in Allen’s family history is something she doesn’t shy away from. “Addiction runs deep in my family,” she explained. “Self-medicating was always going to be a part of my story. For me, it wasn’t a matter of ‘if,’ it was ‘when.’”
Allen’s journey to sobriety is also linked to her relationship with actor David Harbour, whom she married in a Las Vegas ceremony in September 2020. Harbour, who has been sober for over 20 years, stood by her side as they exchanged vows with an Elvis impersonator officiating. The couple’s two children, Ethel and Marnie, were there too.
The pair first sparked romance rumors in 2019, and today, Allen credits her marriage and sobriety with providing her the stability she always longed for.
With her five-year milestone behind her, Allen is committed to continuing her path of recovery—for herself and for her family.
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