Lily Allen Says Her “Eating Problems” Got “Really Bad” After Split from David Harbour — and Reveals She Nearly Relapsed While Trying to Cope
Lily Allen is opening up about one of the hardest chapters of her life — her separation from husband David Harbour and the emotional toll it took on her mental and physical health. In a candid new interview with British Vogue, the 39-year-old singer shared that her longtime struggles with eating resurfaced in a painful way after the couple’s split earlier this year.
Allen and Harbour, who quietly married in Las Vegas in 2020, had been together for four years before going their separate ways in February. The singer admitted that the breakup triggered old habits she thought she had left behind. “My eating problems got really bad,” she revealed. “It’s something I’ve dealt with since I was a teenager, but this time, it hit me differently. I came close to relapsing.”
For Allen, who has always been open about her battles with body image and mental health, the weeks following the separation were particularly difficult. She said the quiet moments — the empty rooms and the sudden stillness — were the hardest to face. “You get used to someone being there, to sharing every little thing,” she said. “When that’s gone, it feels like you’re missing a part of yourself. And when you’re vulnerable, all those old coping mechanisms try to sneak back in.”
Friends close to the singer say she leaned heavily on therapy, her daughters, and close friends to stay grounded. “Lily is incredibly self-aware,” one friend told People. “She knows her triggers, and she’s learned how to ask for help when she needs it.”
The Smile singer’s honesty about her struggles is part of what has made her so relatable throughout her career. From the very start, Allen built her image not on perfection, but on authenticity. Whether it was addressing fame, relationships, or motherhood, she has never shied away from vulnerability. “I’ve never been one to hide things,” she said in the interview. “I think that’s why people have stuck with me all these years — because I’m honest about being a mess sometimes.”
Allen also shared that she’s focusing on rebuilding her life slowly and intentionally. Music, she says, has always been her therapy. Though she hasn’t announced any new projects, she hinted at spending time writing again, channeling her experiences into new creative work. “When I’m struggling, I write. It’s how I make sense of things,” she said. “Sometimes it’s painful, but it’s also freeing.”
Her separation from Harbour, best known for his role as Chief Hopper in Stranger Things, has remained amicable, according to sources. “There’s still love there,” Allen reportedly told friends. “But sometimes love isn’t enough to make it work.”
Fans have rallied around her since the interview, flooding social media with messages of support and admiration for her honesty. Many praised her for speaking openly about disordered eating and the importance of mental health, especially after heartbreak. “Lily has always spoken truthfully, even when it’s uncomfortable,” one fan wrote. “She’s helped so many people feel less alone.”
Despite the pain of the past year, Allen remains hopeful. “I’ve had dark days, but I’ve learned that healing isn’t linear,” she said. “You can fall apart and still rebuild yourself stronger than before.”
Her story is one of resilience — a reminder that even when life feels like it’s unraveling, there’s power in honesty and grace in starting over. Lily Allen isn’t pretending to have it all together, and maybe that’s what makes her strength shine brightest of all.
