Amy Winehouse’s mother Janis, 66, has spoken out in defence of her ex-husband Mitch, 70, ahead of the anniversary of their daughter’s passing.
July 23 will mark ten years since the singer’s tragic death aged 27 by alcohol poisoning.
An ambitious musician, Mitch has previously come under fire for the way he managed his daughter’s career and admitted he made ‘mistakes’.
‘You didn’t tell Amy what to do. Nobody did’: Amy Winehouse’s mother Janis, 66, said on Tuesday she doesn’t blame her ex-husband Mitch, 70, for their daughter’s passing (Amy and Janis pictured at her Grammy performance in 2008)
Yet, speaking to the Radio Times, Janis said: ‘It wasn’t Mitchell’s fault. You didn’t tell Amy what to do. Nobody did.
‘We all do wrong things sometimes, and the easy target was Mitchell. But all of us put in so much effort [to help Amy].’
Speaking to Loose Women in 2018, Amy’s father said of the allegations: ‘It’s up to the person in recovery and they have to want to get help. It’s all about the person who is dealing with her addiction.
‘She had all the support. She had a loving family. If my nan came down from hell in a fiery chariot, Amy would say, “OK, maybe next week.”‘
‘We all do wrong things sometimes, and the easy target was Mitchell,’ The doting mother maintained that there is nobody to blame for the troubled star’s death (Amy pictured with her dad Mitch at the Grosvenor House Hotel in 2008)
Janis’ candid interview comes ahead of the release of a new BBC2 documentary: Amy Winehouse: 10 Years On.
In the film, Janis will tell the story of one of the UK’s greatest musical icons through new parts of her life that the public have never heard about.
Janis said: ‘I don’t feel the world knew the true Amy, the one that I brought up, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to offer an understanding of her roots and a deeper insight into the real Amy.’
She says in the documentary: ‘You think you know my daughter. The drugs, the drink, the addiction, the destructive relationships. But there was so much more.’
One to watch: Janis’ candid interview comes ahead of a new BBC2 documentary which celebrates the singer’s life after she died from alcohol poisoning in 2011 (pictured in 2007)
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Amy’s parents Janis and Mitch set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation following her death.
They created the charity in honour of the late singer on what would have been her 28th birthday on the 14 September 2011.
Talking at an event, Mitch shared some of the organisation’s achievements, and said: ‘I’m happy to say ladies and gentlemen in the last three years we have addressed over 300,000 young people… and that’s a tremendous addition to Amy’s legacy.
‘I don’t feel the world knew the true Amy’: The singer’s parents Janis and Mitch set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation following her death as an addition to Amy’s legacy (pictured together in 2008 at the Novello Awards)
‘Because Amy’s legacy is not just going to be about music, it’s going to be about all these other wonderful things that she’s doing.’
Amy soared to fame upon the release of Frank in 2003, as she gained both critical and commercial success with the debut as her jazz-inspired vocals won fans all over before her second album Back To Black’s introduction three years later.
In a heartbreaking turn of fate, the London-born icon’s dazzling career was plighted by her demons after she fell into the clutches of drink and drug addiction.
‘You think you know my daughter. The drugs, the drink, the addiction, the destructive relationships. But there was so much more’: Amy shot to fame upon the release of Frank in 2003, as she gained both critical and commercial success (pictured in 2007)
As she ascended higher on the fame ladder she discovered her demons – in drink, drugs and also eating disorders, which her brother Alex insists contributed to her death.
In 2011, an inquest gave a verdict of misadventure after finding that she had 416mg of alcohol per decilitre in her blood.
This is more than five times the legal drink-drive limit and enough to cause her to become comatose and depress her respiratory system.
For help call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org
Family: Amy pictured with Jane Winehouse (stepmother), Janis (mother), Mitch (father) and Melody (aunt) in 2008 (L-R)
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