The BBC has given Lily Allen her own TV show, and plans to make the singer one of the corporation's key personalities.

The 22-year-old Londoner will appear on BBC Three next spring, presenting a programme blending chat, music and celebrity interviews.

With the working title Lily Allen And Friends, the show will be based on the social networking phenomenon sweeping the world. Paying homage to internet sites like MySpace and Facebook, viewers will be invited to become Allen’s virtual friends and will then be able to contribute to the show’s discussions and put questions to the singer’s guests.

Social networking is a concept close to Allen’s heart – she rose to fame after building a fanbase on MySpace. Today the musician said she can’t wait to start filming the show.

"I'm so excited that BBC Three are giving me this chance. It's something I intend to have lots of fun with and I have some great ideas for the show. Next year is going to be a brilliant year!"

BBC’s controller of entertainment commissioning, Elaine Bedell said she has Allen pegged to become one of the corporation’s foremost personalities: "Lily is opinionated, funny and charming in equal measure. She's a very natural performer and will be a television star. I'm delighted that she's going to be one of the BBC's key entertainment faces."

It is not the first time Allen, who last year scored a number one hit with single Smile, has ventured outside of the music business. Earlier this year she released a clothing line through high street chain New Look.

Her refusal to hide her personality behind a wall of PR spin has garnered the singer a huge fan base (more than 44,000 fans have signed up as “friends” on her MySpace page), and made her a tabloid favourite. Since Smile propelled her to fame last year, she has blogged about feeling fat, ugly and inferior to Amy Winehouse, publicly criticised fellow singers Cheryl Cole, Madonna and Pete Doherty, and been arrested for allegedly attacking a photographer.

But the BBC seems unworried by her penchant for speaking her mind. Indeed, the corporation’s executive editor Karl Warner said it is a good reason to put her on air: “She's one of the hottest acts around and an important voice of her generation.”

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