Lily Allen has said she felt like she took a “beating” from the press following the release of her 2006 debut album ‘Alright, Still’.

During an appearance on US television, the singer admitted she reached a stage where she became more famous “for being a train wreck than a singer”.

But she denied allegations that she went “crazy” and became a “fall-down drunk”.

“I took a bit of a beating from the press first time around. I became more famous for being a train wreck than a singer,” she said.

“I didn’t think I was capable of writing songs and making music.”

But Allen said claims she became uncontrollable after drinking are part of a bigger misconception about women.

“Young women are represented in a way that isn’t true,” she said in the interview, which has been serialised in The Sun newspaper.

“If a girl is seen having a drink she’s a drunk. If that happens with a guy it’s not portrayed the same way.”

Allen is currently on a US tour in support of second album ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’.

(by Jason Gregory)