5 MINUTES WITH...LILY ALLEN

The singer-songwriter stars in new Sky series Dreamland, a big-hearted comedy drama – written by Sharon Horgan and produced by Merman – which centres on the everyday lives, secrets and dreams of a working-class family living on a council estate in the seaside town of Margate. London-born Allen plays Mel, one of four sisters in a somewhat dysfunctional set-up, who makes an unexpected reappearance in Margate, threatening to destabilise her entire family unit.

WHAT DREW YOU TO DREAMLAND?

I had just moved to New York, but I bring my kids back to the UK for summer to spend time with their dad, so, when this landed on my desk and I heard it was shooting in Margate, I was hooked. I thought the script was amazing.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER, MEL

A bit of a dark horse, she has aspirations outside of Margate. She’s tried to make a life away from all that, it’s failed, and she has now returned. She loves her family. I think she just feels a bit misunderstood, and maybe not heard and not seen – but is probably not well equipped to deal with it.

WHAT ARE MEL’S DREAMS?

I don’t think Mel knows. She is just very reactive and knows that she used to be miserable in Margate and couldn’t see a way of rectifying that. Hence why she did the classic geographic change and tries to escape. In her head she wanted to thrive in Paris, working in fashion, but that didn’t work out, so she is back at square one. She currently doesn’t really have aspirations other than to just not be her, she is just escaping herself.

ANY SIMILARITIES WITH YOU?

I’ve felt very misunderstood in my life. I think that’s what attracted me to Mel in the first place, the similarities not the differences. I felt an affinity with her.

HOW WAS FILMING IN MARGATE?

Great! I rented a little house in the square and brought my kids across. It was excruciatingly hot buts lovely. That town’s steeped in summertime history.

DID IT BRING BACK CHILDHOOD MEMORIES?

Both my parents’ families lived by the seaside – Portsmouth and Paignton. My mum used to be a Pontins Blue Coat, so I have faint memories of those kinds of holidays. I don’t know though; I sort of blocked out most of my childhood.

DOES DREAMLAND STRIKE THE BALANCE BETWEEN COMEDY AND TOPICS SUCH AS RACE, FEMINISM AND CLASS?

I think all good comedies stem from reality and darkness, and the mundanity of life. People come together and laugh about those things, and I think this show does that really well.

DOES THE FEMALEHEAVY CAST, WRITING AND PRODUCTION TEAM HAVE AN IMPACT?

When we were in rehearsal doing the round tables, there was such a good vibe and energy and I had never experienced anything like it. And then I was like, oh yeah, it’s because it’s nearly all women. But on the other hand, it’s my first TV job so I don’t have anything else to compare it to. But I had an amazing time and have made some lasting relationships.

Dreamland premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW this Thursday