Lily Allen defends BBC's Agnew

Lily Allen has defended BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew from accusations that he behaved like a "pervert" during an interview with her.

The popstar was interviewed by Agnew on Radio 4's Test Match Special last Saturday during the final Ashes match at The Oval.

Allen and Agnew had arranged the interview via social networking site Twitter following the singer's revelation that she is a fan of England bowlers Graham Onions, Andrew Flintoff and Stuart Broad.

However, Will Buckley's newspaper column in The Observer derided Agnew's journalistic integrity, arguing that he had displayed "amorous ambitions". Buckley described the 49-year-old father's position as being "firmly on the pervy side of things".

"Aggers kept returning the conversation to wardrobe malfunctions," wrote Buckley. "Until even the lovely Lily had had enough and she cruelly scotched Aggers' amorous ambitions by mentioning 'I'd like to go and visit Chris Old'."

The 'Smile' singer has denied that the presenter behaved inappropriately, arguing that Buckley was aiming to create a name for himself with the provocative comments.

"[I] really think this Will Buckley guy should apologise," she said on Twitter. "[Agnew] was nothing but kind and gentlemanly to me during our interview. I don't know one person that agrees with The Observer on this one. Maybe this is Buckley's attempt at creating a name for himself as the demise of the Observer Monthlys [including Sport] are imminent."

Readers have heavily criticised Buckley's suggestions and innuendo, with one describing the article as a "snide, nasty, small-minded and utterly hyperbolic hatchet job, dripping in meanness".

Responding on Twitter to Buckley's article, Agnew said: "I gave Will Buckley 24 hrs to apologise for calling me a pervert, and he has declined.

"As you can imagine, I have taken being called a pervert quite badly. I will tell you how [Buckley] described his readers if he fails to print a total apology to me and my family on Sunday."