Lily Allen's Abortion Confessions
British singer, songwriter, actress, and television presenter Lily Allen. Photo courtesy of Warner Music Sweden under CC BY 3.0.
"Abortions I've had a few... but then again... I can't remember exactly how many."
That's how Lily Allen — pop provocateur, mother of two, and queen of unfiltered confessions — ripped the lid off one of the most taboo subjects in modern celebrity culture, as reported by The U.S. Sun. On an episode of her podcast "Miss Me?," Allen didn't just talk about her abortion history — she sang about it, twisting a Sinatra lyric into a gut-punch of honesty. With one line, she reignited a global conversation about choice, shame, and what it really means to live your life — and your mistakes — in public view.
'I Can't Remember Exactly How Many'
"I'd get pregnant all the time, all the time," Allen said bluntly, according to The U.S. Sun. At 40, she's had multiple abortions — and told co-host Miquita Oliver that she's genuinely unsure how many. "I think maybe like, I want to say four or five," she continued. "But then again... I can't remember exactly how many."
It wasn't said with drama — it was said with relief. For Allen and Oliver, who also shared she's had "about five" abortions, the moment felt like defiance against decades of stigma. "Lily, I'm so happy I can say that and you can say it and no one came to shoot us down, no judgment," Oliver said, as reported by The U.S.
'I Thought It Was Romantic.'
Allen even recalled a moment when a man paid for her abortion — and how she used to see that as romantic. "I remember once getting pregnant and the man paying for my abortion, and me thinking it was so romantic," she said, according to PEOPLE. She went on to clarify that her opinion has since changed, saying "I don't think it's generous or romantic."
It's a harsh truth — and one only someone like Lily Allen could say without flinching. E! News reported she later joked, "I don't think he texted me after. Fair TBH I was a crazy b---h. Still am."
'Don't Want a Baby' Is Enough
What's most striking isn't just Allen's numbers — it's her refusal to play by the usual PR script. "It actually irritates me," she said, according to The U.S. Sun. "I've seen memes going around sometimes ... whenever this conversation comes up, and suddenly you start seeing people posting things about extraordinary reasons for having an abortion ... Just: 'I don't want a f---ing baby right now.' Literally: 'Don't want a baby' is enough reason."
Love, Loss, and the Babies She Did Keep
Allen is a mother, however. Her daughters, Ethel, 12, and Marnie, 11, are from her marriage to ex-husband Sam Cooper. But the road to motherhood came with devastation for her.
In 2010, Allen lost her son George in a late-term stillbirth. "The stitch broke and I went into full-blown labor ... and as I was delivering him, the doctors said, 'There was a pulse and now there no longer is.' The cord was wrapped around his neck and he was just too small," she said in a past interview on BBC Radio 4's "Woman's Hour," as reported by E! News.
The trauma never left her. "She [Ethel] actually was very ill for the first eight months of her life, and three months after she was born, I then found out that I was pregnant with Marnie," she said according to E! News. "So babies became my focus in that period of time."
'Having Kids Ruined My Career'
Now, in the glare of fame and middle age, Allen is cutting through another myth — the one that says women can have it all.
"I love them and they complete me," she said of her daughters, according to The U.S. Sun. "But in terms of pop stardom, they totally ruined it. I get really annoyed when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can't."
It's not bitterness — it's brutal honesty, shaped by a decade of trying to balance world tours with school pickups.
Newly Single — But Not Alone
Allen is officially single after splitting from "Stranger Things" actor David Harbour in December. But earlier this month, she was reportedly photographed kissing actor James Norton backstage at London's Lido Festival.
One onlooker told The U.S. Sun: "James and Lily looked very into each other and they were snogging backstage ... We were all quite surprised to see them there together, let alone kissing."
Even amid heartbreak, Allen hasn't slowed down. "We are a support network for each other," she said of herself and her daughters, according to PEOPLE. "I think the main thing is telling them we're going to get through it and be fine."
Final Word: No More Whispering
Lily Allen isn't speaking in hushed tones — she's sharing her story with honesty, vulnerability, and just enough irreverence to make it unmistakably hers. She's showing that choice doesn't have to come wrapped in tragedy to be valid. Sometimes, it simply comes from knowing yourself.
At a time when conversations around abortion remain deeply personal and often contentious, her voice stands out. Not because it's flawless or rehearsed, but because it's relatable for some. And after years of holding parts of her story back, she's finally ready to speak without apology.
References: Lily Allen admits she 'can't remember' how many abortions she's had and says 'I used to get pregnant all the time' | Lily Allen Says She "Can't Remember" How Many Abortions She's Had | Lily Allen Says She 'Can't Remember' How Many Abortions She's Had
