Lily Allen 'close to ending marriage'

Pop star Lily Allen's friends apparently think she's putting off the inevitable by not ending her marriage.

The British singer has been married to Sam Cooper since 2011, and they have daughters Ethel and Marnie together. For the past year the couple have been rocked by questions over their marriage, which has coincided with Lily's return to the party scene. When she first wed Sam, the 30-year-old took a step back from the limelight. But after the release of last year's (14) Sheezus album, Lily started partying again.

"The popular consensus among Lily's friends is that the marriage is all but over," a source told Britain's Grazia magazine. "She's in LA at the moment working on new music, so she's buried her head in the sand. It feels like she's putting off the inevitable because she's loath to make any kind of public announcement."

Lily sparked concern in June (15) when she collapsed at Glastonbury music festival, and also left fans wondering about the state of her marriage when she admitted to joining dating apps. Now insiders say her friendship with grime artist Skepta is another area of worry. They've been friends for a few years, and it's thought she's been leaning on the 33-year-old during her alleged marriage problems.

"They share a mutual admiration and have enjoyed spending time together," the source noted. "Lily's been introduced to his brother, and even talked about making her next album grime. Sam moves in very different circles, so it wouldn't be surprising if Lily's preoccupation with Skepta has become a point of contention between them."

Lily and Sam haven't been seen out since attending the Notting Hill Carnival in August (15).

As well as possible new music, Lily has been keeping busy promoting her design collection with retailer Vera Moda.