Lily Allen Calls for Rescue of BBC 6 Music

Lily Allen has written an impassioned article in Wednesday's (Mar. 3) Guardian newspaper criticising the BBC's decision to recommend closing down radio station 6 Music.

A BBC report this week announced both 6 Music and the Asian Network should be closed down, with Allen accusing the corporation of being "scared of taking risks", and putting the closure down to a "huge, politically motivated reshuffle."

She wrote the BBC is going through a "dire phase" at the moment, before calling for the spirit of 6 Music to be incorporated into other stations such as Radio 2, should the digital station cease to be.

"I read that they want to invest in quality over quantity," she writes, "but how does that make sense? If they close 6 Music, instead of acts like Seasick Steve and presenters like Lauren Laverne, it will be the Pussycat Dolls and Fearne Cotton on Radio 1. The only way this decision will be palatable is if they incorporate the elements of BBC 6 Music that strike a chord with the public into one of their other channels, such as Radio 2."

She concluded she is "not very hopeful that this will happen." Others to publicly descry the BBC's decision include 6 Music voices Lauren Laverne and Adam Buxton, as well as David Bowie and Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis.