Lily Allen said having children 'ruined' her career - and the internet has thoughts

Lily Allen isn't known for mincing her words, and for her entire career - and time in the public eye - she has rarely shied away from saying exactly what she thinks, even if it leads to headlines and backlash. In her latest effort to be as candid as possible, Lily spoke on the Radio Times Podcast about how having children affected her music career.

However, while some people found her honesty refreshing, others have taken issue with her comments where she stated: "My children ruined my career."

She continued: "I love them and they complete me, but in terms of pop stardom, totally ruined it. It really annoys me when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can’t."

Lily went on to add that she made a conscious decision when she had her two daughters to be a present parent, saying: "Some people choose their career over their children, and that’s their prerogative. But my parents were quite absent when I was a kid, and I feel like that really left some nasty scars that I’m not willing to, you know, repeat on mine.

"So I chose stepping back and concentrating on them, and I’m glad that I have done that because I think they’re pretty well-rounded people."

The internet being what it is, people had one or two (or three, etc.) thoughts about Lily's words — with some sympathising wholeheartedly with her sentiment, and others worrying about what her children will think when they hear what she said. Of course, there's also the group of people who fall somewhere in between.

"I would hate to be her kids," wrote one person on X, formerly Twitter.

"The choice of words is important here. I understand the sentiment behind it. The change that comes from becoming a parent is definitely life-altering and challenging. Using the word 'ruin' is just not a choice I would make, especially after choosing to become a parent," another person added, but it bears repeating that Lily used the word 'ruin' jokingly.

"It's refreshing to see honesty about the challenges of balancing career and motherhood. Lily Allen's candidness sheds light on the sacrifices many working parents make," said a third commenter.

Lily shares daughters Ethel, 12, and Marnie, 11, with her ex-husband Sam Cooper. She has been married to Stranger Things star David Harbour since 2020.