Lily Allen has responded to criticism of her current ‘West End Girl’ tour, saying she is “extremely proud of it”.
The singer-songwriter is out on a UK and Ireland arena trek, marking the biggest headline shows of her career. She is performing her acclaimed 2025 album in full at the dates.
As with her intimate theatre gigs earlier this year, Allen is not playing any of her older hits. However, a string section called the Dallas Minor Trio is reimagining some of the star’s classic tunes in the support slot.
Allen’s main set – made up of 14 songs across three acts – does not feature a live band, and sees her perform to a backing track on a play-style set with various props.
Following her two huge concerts at London’s O2 over the weekend, Allen hit back at some criticism of the tour from The Spectator‘s opinion editor, Rupert Hawksley. He said that the show in the capital had “no support act”, and ran for less than an hour.
Hawksley also took issue with Allen saying “not one word to the audience”, and highlighted that tickets cost “£86 to sit in the gods”.
In response, the singer quote-tweeted the post, writing: “There is a support act. The show has always been advertised as ‘Lily Allen performs West End Girl’.
“I was a few mins late as my tights were laddered and I had to change them. The show is just over an hour as it’s just the album in its entirety.”
She continued: “It’s my artistic choice not to talk to the audience, the fourth wall helps with the storytelling. Most people find it to be effective. I don’t want anyone to feel ripped off.
“Everyone on this tour is really working very hard to give people the best show we possibly can, and I’m extremely proud of it.”
There is a support act.
The show has always been advertised as “Lily Allen performs West End Girl.”
I was a few mins late as my tights were laddered and i had to change them.
The show is just over an hour as it’s just the album in its entirety.
It’s my artistic choice not… https://t.co/6qmrixFHXT
— Lily Allen (@lilyallen) June 29, 2026
Later, Hawksley clarified that he was “not critical” of Allen’s decision to focus solely on her latest record, adding: “But no support act and not even a ‘thank you so much for coming’ was a bit weird.”
Allen replied: “I’d happily concede that I’m a bit weird, though.”
I’d happily concede that I’m a bit weird, though. https://t.co/uCR7bXFe3i
— Lily Allen (@lilyallen) June 29, 2026
For the avoidance of doubt https://t.co/G9zzlx7e12
— Rupert Hawksley (@ruhawksley) June 29, 2026
NME caught Allen live at the London Palladium in March as part of her smaller tour. Our three-star review called that show “a powerful retelling of one of pop’s most gut-wrenching albums”.
“The decision to kick off the show with a 40-minute karaoke-style singalong to her biggest hits – with the singer not onstage – is questionable,” it read.
“While the energy is palpable with opening tracks ‘The Fear’, ‘LDN’ and ‘Not Fair’, as it progresses past the 10-minute mark, interest rapidly wanes, and it sinks in that those looking forward to hearing Allen perform her biggest hits will have to wait a little longer.”
The review continued: “Then, with just an hour left until the night comes to an end, Allen finally takes to the stage, cheekily smiling as she pops out from behind a green curtain, and kicks off what is closer to a one-woman theatre performance than a gig. Noticeably devoid of a live band (with Allen singing to a backing track for the entire show), backing dancers or any interaction with the crowd, this feels like a chance to better understand ‘West End Girl’ than a night out.”
Allen’s UK and Ireland ‘West End Girl’ tour continues with two nights at Dublin’s 3Arena tonight and tomorrow (Tuesday June 30 and Wednesday July 1), ahead of a final stop at London’s O2 on July 7.
She’ll take to the stage at some summer festivals, too, including Boardmasters, Bilbao BBK Live in Spain and Denmark’s Roskilde. Allen played the biggest North American tour of her career this spring, and will return to the US and Canada this September. An Australian leg is set to follow later in the autumn.
Allen headlined London’s Mighty Hoopla last month, with over 35,000 tickets being sold for the event in just 30 minutes after going on sale. She was joined on stage by JADE to perform the pair’s recent ‘Beg For Me’ remix.
In other news, Allen’s ex-husband David Harbour has broken his silence on the “weird” experience of her detailing their break-up on ‘West End Girl’.
The tour has seen the singer perform in a dress that displayed receipts for Harbour’s alleged gifts to other women.
In a four-star review, NME described ‘West End Girl’ a “vicious, vulnerable and victorious comeback”.
But Allen has insisted that the record is “not a cruel album”, saying she does not “need revenge” on her ex. She explained that making the LP had been “an act of desperation”, calling it “a mixture of fact and fiction”. Allen also said ‘West End Girl’ had been inspired by the “storytelling” style of The Streets’ ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free’.
In March, Allen unveiled the original ‘West End Girl’ painting at the National Portrait Gallery in London.