Lily Allen’s father to take ecstasy of TV: Backlash over Channel 4’s drugs stunt

  • Actor is believed to have been filmed taking MDMA
  • Television chiefs have defended stunt, saying it is ethical and scientific
  • Drugs charities have raised concerns about the stunt

By
Sara Nathan

19:33 EST, 15 July 2012

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20:00 EST, 15 July 2012

Actor Keith Allen is to be shown taking Class A drugs as part of a television documentary examining their effect.

The 59-year-old father of pop star Lily Allen is believed to have been filmed taking MDMA, a pure form of ecstasy, for a forthcoming Channel 4 documentary series.

Television chiefs have defended the stunt as ‘ethical and scientific’. But the decision to show celebrities taking drugs on television has caused deep concern among drugs charities.

Controversial: Actor Keith Allen, father of popstar Lily is to be shown taking the Class A drug MDMA as part of a television documentary examining their effect

Controversial: Actor Keith Allen, father of popstar Lily is to be shown taking the Class A drug MDMA as part of a television documentary examining their effect

Julia Manning, chief executive of independent think-tank 2020 Health, condemned the programme.

She said: ‘The first two words that come to mind are reckless and pointless. We are fully aware of the effects of Class A drugs on the body.

‘This will achieve nothing. If anything it will “celebritise” the taking of illegal substances. This is purely anecdotal. It’s not part of any proper study. It’s publicity-seeking TV at its worst.’

A spokesman for the Transform Drug Policy Foundation said the show was no way to explore drug problems.

‘There are lots of important issues around drug use in a popular culture,’ he said. ‘I’m not convinced this is necessarily a good way to explore them.

‘From previous attempts, footage of people taking drugs is usually quite dull and probably unenlightening.’

Allen is among a number of celebrities who have been administered drugs and then had their brains scanned for the Drugs Live programme.

Television bosses insisted it would be a ‘serious look at drugs’ such as cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy.

Concept: Participants in the show will take controlled substances, such as cocaine, pictured, 'under strict medical supervision and in a controlled clinical environment', while their reactions are filmed

Television bosses insisted the show would take a ‘serious look at drugs’ such as cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy

A Channel 4 source said: ‘Anything that’s done will have to be done ethically and scientifically. We aim to reflect all points of view.

‘This is a serious scientific documentary and we want it to be a balanced project.’

The study is being conducted by researchers Professor David Nutt and Dr Robin Carhart-Harris, at Imperial College London.

Controversial drugs expert Professor Nutt was sacked in 2009 as chairman of the independent Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs after claiming alcohol and tobacco were more harmful than LSD, ecstasy and cannabis.

He has also suggested horse-riding is more dangerous than taking ecstasy and said alcohol consumption in Britain would fall by a quarter if Dutch-style cannabis ‘coffee shops’ were introduced.

Pill popping: Keith Allen is believed to have been filmed taking MDMA, a pure form of ecstasy, for a forthcoming Channel 4 documentary series

Pill popping: Keith Allen is believed to have been filmed taking MDMA, a pure form of ecstasy, for a forthcoming Channel 4 documentary series

Channel 4 chief David Glover said: ‘This subject is fraught with controversy and confusion. The aim is to bring new clarity to the facts of illegal drug use.’

Participants in the show will take controlled substances ‘under strict medical supervision and in a controlled clinical environment’,  while their reactions are filmed.

Organisers plan to work alongside the Home Office on the series, which will air in September, and say they will have all the ‘relevant approval’.

Allen, who played the Sheriff of Nottingham in the BBC’s Robin Hood series, has long been outspoken about his drug use.

Critics fear his participation in the programme will only serve to glamorise illegal substances.

In 2007, he revealed how he used his pop star daughter to sell drugs at Glastonbury Festival when she was younger, saying: ‘I didn’t see what was wrong with taking little Lily along with me as a sales tool.’

But the actor, who has worked on a series of Channel 4 documentaries before, said he feels he can be misrepresented, as he has never been a big drinker and ‘can go for months without taking drugs – months and months’.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Any unlicensed possession of Class A drugs is a criminal offence, unless this is done under authorisation from the Home Office.’

 

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
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The comments below have been moderated in advance.

He must be desperate for work!! What a role model for his granddaughter!

Sick Sick Sick ! This country is Sick ! Keith Allen you know no shame and have no respect for younger people ! Shame on you as a human being as you cleary show you hold no conscience.

Some people are never happy unless they’re interfering with what other people want to do. They feel they know best and have no respect for the choices of others. They are the sworn enemy of all libertarians and are one group whose freedom to influence must be curtailed for the greater good.

Who is this Julia Manning? It’s hardly “reckless” because taking MDMA is actually a lot safer than alcohol (110 people die from alcohol related causes every DAY in the UK). And no, we don’t really know the effects of class-A on the body because it is so difficult to conduct any research to find out as Prof Nutt recently demonstrated with his interesting new research on psilocybin.

Ah the memories of love hearts 😀 To be honest I don’t see anything wrong with this (other than legally of course) if he has agreed to do it. Hopefully there will be a range of tests conducted to show the effects on the body and a good explanation of how each one can adversely affect health. Throw that in with a few case studies of worst case scenarios and I think it will make for a very informative program.

I don’t think there is anything controversial about this… Drugs is a serious problem and should be tackled…
Like those alcohol adverts where the guy thinks he is some super hero.. I think some people would have got the message, other nutters would have thought it was cool…
But if it changes the attitude of a handful of people or in some cases just one person… Then it’s definitely worthwhile… You can’t win them all… Or make everyone happy

Channel 4 lowering television standards? I don’t believe you.

Ecstasy? Pfft…..so 90’s. I didn’t even know people took that anymore. If they’re doing this for the shock value they’re about 20 years too late.

“In 2007, he revealed how he used his pop star daughter to sell drugs at Glastonbury Festival when she was younger, saying: ‘I didn’t see what was wrong with taking little Lily along with me as a sales tool” This scumbag is one the B NP’s main critics. Says it all really.

It’s illegal but this just means because your rich famous and being filmed its ok?

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