Lily Not Al-Wight

Singer's withdrawl from Isle of Wight Festival angers organiser

05 Mar 2008 - Lily Allen has pulled out of the Isle Of Wight Festival.

The announcement follows tabloid reports that the singer is being treated for depression.

6 Music News contacted festival organiser John Giddings and he told us he still isn't quite sure why she's not playing:

"We were told that it was because of her record (company) and her album not being ready but then I read in the tabloids a load of different reasons so I would've liked to have been told the right reason in the first place."

And Giddings told us that he doesn't think it's acceptable for Lily to cancel her appearance because she's late delivering her next album: "I didn't book a record I booked an artist! If I phoned them up and told them 'I've decided not to have you come now' they wouldn't be very impressed would they?"

And he added: "Unfortunately this country has developed some great new girl singer songwriters but they seem to be having a few problems don't they?"

" I didn't book a record I booked an artist!"
John Giddings - Isle of Wight Festival organiser on the reason behind Lily's cancellation

But Giddings told 6 Music that he has no plans to sue the star even though she'd agreed to perform at the event last November: "We've got it all in writing," he said, "but I'm not going to sue her I feel sorry for her."

Lily's record label is yet to respond to John's comments.

No replacement

The Isle of Wight Festival 2008 takes place on 13th, 14th and 15th of June with headliners The Police, The Sex Pistols and The Kaiser Chiefs, but Giddings told us he won't replace Lily on the bill instead using the money to 'green' the event: "If you read what Radiohead say that they're only going to play events in future that are properly ecologically sound, then I'd rather use the money to do that, and make the audience experience better, than just book another group."

"I want to make our festival ahead of the game in all of this, making it carbon neutral, and with the Isle of Wight bringing in their Eco Island policy this would dovetail perfectly into that".

And when 6 Music suggested to him that would also enable him to invite Radiohead to perform there he agreed: "Exactly ...If they say they won't play festivals that aren't carbon neutral then does that mean they'll play ours if it is?"


Julie Cullen