James O’Brien’s defence of Lily Allen prompts singer to call in: 'Perhaps I could have chosen my words better'

James O’Brien’s defence of Lily Allen prompted the singer to call into his show live on air.

Allen became embroiled in a row sparked by comments she made during a visit to a Calais refugee camp while speaking to a 13-year-old refugee from Afghanistan.

An emotional Allen apologised to the boy “on behalf of my country”, sparking anger on social media.

“It just seems that at three different intervals in this young boy’s life, the English in particular have put you in danger,” she said.

“We’ve bombed your country, put you in the hands of the Taliban and now put you in danger of risking your life to get into our country.

“I apologise on behalf of my country. I’m sorry for what we have put you through.”

Lily Allen (Getty)

While her comments were criticised by some, one person was very much in her corner: O'Brien, who ridiculed her critics on LBC.

“The Taliban are diametrically opposed to young women being independently minded and speaking their thoughts," he said.

“I could open up the phone lines now and form a queue of people here who also hate it and think that Lily Allen is disgraceful for speaking her mind.

“'Goddamn Lily Allen for actually travelling to Calais to meet people and look at a situation before forming an opinion about it. Doesn't she know she could get all her opinions straight from the Mail Online? She doesn't need to actually go there and meet people and see things and demonstrate compassion.”

After calling into the show, Allen told O’Brien she was unsurprised by the “witch-hunt” launched after her comments.

"I expected it," she said. "I think what they seem to have picked up on is I apologised on behalf of the nation, but it was an emotional moment that I was affected by.

“Perhaps I could have chosen my words better and said: I apologise for the part the country I come from has played in the situation you're currently experiencing. But that was what I said.

“It is being used to support the xenophobic rhetoric and narrative that we are currently experiencing, especially in the mainstream press.”