Amy Winehouse’s mother has defended the singer’s ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, ahead of the 10th anniversary of her death.
A new BBC2 documentary is set to air to mark the occasion, produced with the cooperation of Janis Winehouse.
Winehouse died on 23 July, 2011 at the age of 27, having suffered accidental alcohol poisoning.
Janis spoke ahead of the documentary’s release and refused to condemn Fielder-Civil, also comparing her daughter’s death to that of Love Island presenter Caroline Flack.
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Fielder-Civil and Winehouse were married from 2007 to 2009. He was criticised by many in the press in the aftermath of Winehouse’s death, with some blaming him for introducing her to heroin, which he admitted on The Jeremy Kyle Show.
“When it comes to Blake, I’ve decided never to speak badly about anyone,” Janis told OK! Magazine. “I know it was about love and I don’t think you can judge when it comes to love. Love does the walking and talking.
“I believe the relationship between Amy and Blake was intimate and genuine. Their marriage was impulsive but it was still pure. It was obviously a complicated relationship but love was at the heart of it.”
Speaking about the media storm surrounding her daughter’s death, Janis said that people were “looking for someone to blame”.
“She chose her own path. We have suffered from the trolls and the damaging speculation – accusations that Mitch [Winehouse’s father] just wants to make money off of his daughter, that we killed her, that we could have done more. It’s completely wrong.
“The same thing happened after Caroline Flack died – everyone was looking for someone to blame. But addiction is a mental illness and that is the true villain in this story. I’ve studied addiction and I understand that now.”
