Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags, Channel 4

Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags, Channel 4 | reviews, news & interviews

Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags, Channel 4

Clothes and crises as a pop star starts out in 'the real world'

by Josh SperoWednesday, 16 March 2011

Lily and Sarah Allen, vintage before their time

Why were any of us watching Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags last night, about the pop star's move from selling millions of tracks to stacks of vintage clothes? It was not because we need a lesson in the hardships of starting up a business - Allen bought all the stock out of her musical profits and her office was thick with roses. No, it was because the real intruded into a reality show: this was not car-crash TV - it was miscarriage TV.

The only reason to watch is because you are jonesing for a celebrity tragedy, the sort of first-hand insight you can't get from Grazia

Buy

Find Lily Allen's music from Amazon

Explore topics

Share this article

...

Permalink Submitted by claire (not verified) on Tue, 15/03/2011 - 23:15

1) Lily Allen didn't have a miscarriage, she had a pre-term delivery. Using the term miscarriage completely disregards how different and rather more upsetting it is as she was 6 months pregrant and therefore had to be give birth still to the still born baby. 2) Perhaps not everyone is waiting for tragedy to watch, but are genuinely interested in why she left music and what she is up to.

...

Permalink Submitted by Kate (not verified) on Wed, 16/03/2011 - 11:55

Whatever you think of Lily Allen, calling this 'miscarriage tv' really really? Only a man could write something so crass and offensive. I hope anyone who has suffered a miscarriage or gone through the horrific trauma of stillbirth posts their disgust.This reads like something you'd find in The Sun or The Mail. From the artsdesk I expect better, much better.

...

Permalink Submitted by David (not verified) on Wed, 16/03/2011 - 12:08

I think you may have put the cart of a distressing experience before the horse of a TV show exploiting it, Kate (yes, another man speaks). Last night at Leicester Square tube I heard three young folk discussing - a miscarriage - and it turned out to be talk of Lily Allen, a person whom they don't know. I don't doubt that she deserves our sympathy, but it seems to me, as to Josh, another case of the media exploiting a sensitive situation for its own OKish ends. And, no, I didn't watch - I have about as much interest in LA as I do in the royal newlyweds-to-be.

...

Permalink Submitted by Josh Spero on Wed, 16/03/2011 - 12:22

@kate - please don't misunderstand - I don't approve of it all, as I hope the review shows. Using the term 'miscarriage TV' is meant to convey how vile I find the exploitation of her loss. There is nothing approving at all here. @claire - thank you for the clarification; I was using 'miscarriage' in a broader, not technical, sense.

...

Permalink Submitted by Ellie (not verified) on Wed, 16/03/2011 - 13:07

@David This is not media exploitation, this is a doc that unhappily coincided with the loss of Allen's pregnancy.

...

Permalink Submitted by edgar marmoolian (not verified) on Thu, 17/03/2011 - 10:26

Josh I think your assessment that the shop could have been selling anything is unfair. Lily Allen is known for a personal style which was highly influential on both the high fashion and street fashion world, and which revolved around vintage frocks worn in a modern context - so the basic idea of the store made absolute sense for her to be pursuing. It was extremely interesting watching it dawning on her that a good idea alone was not enough, though, and that she couldn't leave her popstar persona and media attention behind...

...

Permalink Submitted by Sam (not verified) on Thu, 17/03/2011 - 16:01

Josh you are not right in the head and I do not agree with your comments about this show one bit. It was a great show and as Claire says maybe people are genuinely interested in what Lily is up to. Airing this after what happened to her during the filming is a brave thing to do as it is naturally going to upset her. I respect her massively, giving birth to an dead baby must be the worst thing anyone could ever have to do. I can’t wait to watch the series and I hope her new business kicks off I really do.

...

Permalink Submitted by David (not verified) on Thu, 17/03/2011 - 16:24

@Ellie, 'not media exploitation'? Not of Allen, perhaps, but of the audience, with all the getting-off on the sadness of someone they don't even know that entails. Are you telling me, though, that this programme was planned before the miscarriage? @Sam, 'not right in the head' - that's about as right-on as the miscarriage remarks. Think before you attack.

...

Permalink Submitted by Josh Spero on Thu, 17/03/2011 - 16:27

@sam - I have often been told I'm not right in the head, so you're spot on. You can see the series as brave, or you can see it as exploitative, and we clearly fall on different sides of that. @Edgar - I didn't mean Allen was expert in clothes - what I meant was that she wanted to settle down somewhere and it just happened that that meant a clothes shop.

...

Permalink Submitted by Josh Spero on Thu, 17/03/2011 - 16:28

@Edgar - wasn't, rather.

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

more TV

10 Questions for Mark Gatiss, writer-director of 'A Ghost Story for Christmas: Woman of Stone' Gatiss explains why his eerie tale begins with its original Victorian-Edwardian author Edith Nesbit

All Creatures Great and Small, Christmas Special, Channel 5 review - Mrs Hall steps into the spotlight Everyday saga of Yorkshire vets does exactly what it says on the tin

Death in Paradise Christmas Special, BBC One review - who killed Santa Claus? Don Gilet steps into the detective's shoes on the island of Saint Marie

Strike: The Ink Black Heart, BBC One review - protracted, convoluted puzzler lifted by its leads The army veteran and his partner are still trapped in a detective-genre script

Black Doves, Netflix review - Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw battle against the implausible Can anyone be trusted in Joe Barton's twisty London drama?

Senna, Netflix review - the life and legend of Brazil's greatest driver You saw the movie, now watch the TV series

Landman, Paramount+ review - once upon a time in the West Billy Bob Thornton stars in Taylor Sheridan's Texas oil drama

Paris Has Fallen, Prime Video review - Afghan war veteran wreaks a terrible vengeance Cynical politicians and amoral arms dealers feel the heat

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, BBC One review - handsome finale for Hilary Mantel adaptation Mark Rylance is on top form as his Thomas Cromwell re-emerges after nine years

The Day of the Jackal, Sky Atlantic review - Frederick Forsyth's assassin gets a modern-day makeover Eddie Redmayne shoots to kill in lavish 10-part drama

Until I Kill You, ITV1 review - superb performances in a frustrating true-crime story Anna Maxwell Martin and Shaun Evans are compelling, but the script needs more ballast

Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Disney+ review - the Boss grows older defiantly Thom Zimny's film reels in 50 years of New Jersey's most famous export

Follow @theartsdesk