In what was claimed to be the first broadcast interview the executive chairman has made since taking over EMI earlier this year, Allen said he has a difficult message to get across that the business is in "really good shape" after massive restructuring and job cuts.

In the BBC Radio 4 documentary EMI: Facing The Music, Allen told Damian Reece, head of business at the Telegraph, that it is the balance sheet that is challenged and added the £105m of ...