News | Entertainment
17 Jan 2026 3:30
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Lily Allen's daughters are finding it hard adapting to life back in the UK

    The 40-year-old singer has Ethel, 14, and Marnie, 12, with her ex-husband Sam Cooper and admits that her kids are struggling with the changes that have come with moving back to Britain after living in New York.


    Lily - who separated from her second husband David Harbour in 2024 - said on her Miss Me? podcast: "My kids are f****** mental at the moment... They are really developing their personalities. It's just a lot. There's a lot of questions.

    "There's a lot of changes in our lives at the moment. We've changed houses, we've changed countries, we've changed schools, and it's a lot."

    The Not Fair hitmaker explained that she can hardly recognise her youngest daughter's accent as it has changed completely since she returned to Britain.

    Lily said: "Their accents have changed because they've come back. Like, now Marnie properly sounds like Princess Margaret. I'm like, who are you?

    "Literally six months ago, she was like (puts on a New York accent), 'What? No...' And now it's like a completely different person."

    She added: "But they are discovering who they are. They're grappling with some new ideas in terms of who I am.

    "The last five years, I've been a stay-at-home mum. And now I'm a single mum that has to work and suddenly has a lot of work opportunities on my plate and I'm having to travel a lot.

    "But they also like having a nice roof over their heads and nice clothes and being able to go to nice restaurants and things. So they understand it. But it's just a lot of change.

    "There's a lot of change and also new friends, new friendship groups and the idea of boyfriends."

    Lily also reflected on a busy 2025, which saw her release the album West End Girl that detailed the breakdown of her marriage to Stranger Things actor Harbour.

    She said: "I've done quite a lot this year.

    "I've finished an album, I got a boob job, I had a nervous breakdown, I went into hospital for a bit, I came out, I did some podcasting for a while, then I played one of the hardest tracks in theatre and killed myself (in the role of Hedda Gabler) every night for seven weeks."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     16 Jan: Derek Hough and his wife Hayley are looking forward to a "new chapter" in their lives
     16 Jan: Dame Helen Mirren feels concerned by the influence of social media
     16 Jan: Trevor Noah is set to host the Grammy Awards for one "final" time
     16 Jan: Chelsea Handler met her new man in a casino
     16 Jan: Marcus Gilbert has died at the age of 67
     16 Jan: Blake Lively believes her hair is a "key part" of her identity
     16 Jan: Anya Taylor-Joy "loved" having a mullet
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    After Scott Robertson, the All Blacks face a deeper question than who coaches next More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Kiwis are feeling the pinch more at the checkout - than they are at the pump More...



     Today's News

    Soccer:
    Auckland FC's imperious away form is being put down to connections off the pitch 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Derek Hough and his wife Hayley are looking forward to a "new chapter" in their lives 21:53

    Entertainment:
    Dame Helen Mirren feels concerned by the influence of social media 21:23

    Accident and Emergency:
    Police are launching a rescue operation to remove people stuck in between land slips on Waioeka Gorge on State Highway two 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Trevor Noah is set to host the Grammy Awards for one "final" time 20:53

    International:
    Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced over martial law declaration 20:37

    Entertainment:
    Chelsea Handler met her new man in a casino 20:23

    Entertainment:
    Marcus Gilbert has died at the age of 67 19:53

    Entertainment:
    Blake Lively believes her hair is a "key part" of her identity 19:23

    Tennis:
    Argentine seventh seed Sebastian Baez has booked his spot in the ASB tennis Classic final 18:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd