Lily Allen has never been one to sugarcoat the truth — and on the latest episode of her podcast Miss Me?, the pop star laid bare one of the most intimate confessions of her life: she’s lost count of how many abortions she’s had.
Speaking openly with co-host and longtime friend Miquita Oliver, the 40-year-old singer dropped the bombshell mid-conversation.
“Abortions, I’ve had a few,” Allen said. “But then again, I can’t remember exactly how many… I want to say four or five.” Oliver responded just as candidly, admitting to having had “about five” herself.
The internet exploded in the wake of the episode — some voices applauding the pair’s raw honesty in a world where reproductive choices are still shamed, others criticizing the tone as “irresponsible” and too casual for such a sensitive topic.
Allen seemed to anticipate the controversy. Reflecting on one past abortion, she recalled a man paying for the procedure — a gesture she once saw as romantic. “I don’t think it’s generous or romantic,” she said, her voice tinged with hindsight. “He didn’t even follow up with me afterwards.”
Whether you see her as brave, blunt, or controversial, one thing’s for sure: Lily Allen isn’t backing down from the truth — no matter how uncomfortable it makes the world feel.
Lily Allen’s frustration goes beyond just personal experiences with men—it’s aimed at the wider culture that insists women justify their abortions with “acceptable” reasons.
“It actually irritates me,” she said candidly. “I’ve seen memes from pro-abortion accounts saying things like, ‘My aunt had a kid with a disability’ or ‘She would have died if she went full term.’ Like, shut up! Just ‘I don’t want a f*ing baby right now.’ That’s reason enough.”**
Her breezy, blunt, even sometimes giggly tone unsettled some listeners, but for others, that was exactly the point. Researcher Alison Wilson, writing for Metro, put it succinctly: “Imagine how much more palatable this would be if Allen had talked about how terrible she feels… how full of remorse she is? This is all about conditional acceptance.”
In other words, society demands women feel sorry or ashamed—and when they don’t, it triggers discomfort and backlash.
Wilson argues that Allen’s raw honesty, no matter how uncomfortable, is crucial. “That’s what it means to be pro-choice: pro the choice of the pregnant person, not the choice that makes you most comfortable.”
Allen isn’t promoting abortion or encouraging others to follow her path. She’s simply sharing her truth, unapologetically and on her own terms. And for many, that is the very essence of reproductive freedom.