Over a decade after her tragic death, Amy Winehouse is back in the news thanks to the new biopic, Back To Black. Last week, the first trailer for the film – which stars Marisa Abela as Amy – was released to much fanfare.
Despite the excitement surrounding it, it's also divided opinions. While some people are delighted to see Amy’s story brought to life on the big screen, others think the film comes too soon after her death and have questioned the ethics of making a profit from the singer's turbulent years. One of the people who has recently come under fire for endorsing the film is Amy's father, Mitch Winehouse, who is played by Eddie Marsan.
There was a time when Mitch was often in and out of the spotlight but, in recent years, he has stayed relatively under the radar. Naturally, this has got a lot of people wondering: what happened to Mitch Winehouse?
Mitch has been in talks with producers Alison Owen and Debra Hayward about the Amy biopic since 2018, when they partnered with the Winehouse family to create a film to celebrate Amy’s life and work, with proceeds going towards the Amy Winehouse Foundation. ‘We now feel able to celebrate Amy’s extraordinary life and talent,’ Mitch said in a statement at the time. ‘And we know through the Amy Winehouse Foundation that the true story of her illness can help so many others who might be experiencing similar issues.'
When discussing who would play Amy in the biopic, Mitch said ‘I wouldn’t mind betting it would be an unknown, young, English – London, cockney – actress who looks a bit like Amy.’ When the first look images of Marisa as Amy were released last year, some fans complained she looked nothing like the late singer. However, Mitch publicly supported the casting, telling TMZ ‘Marisa’s a great choice for the role, even if she doesn’t look exactly like Amy.’
So as Mitch Winehouse comes back into the public eye, here’s everything we know about him…
Who is Mitch Winehouse?
Mitch is Amy Winehouse’s dad, and he was married to Amy’s mum, Janis, until 1993. When Amy was born, he was working as a taxi driver and a window panel installer.
Amy and Mitch shared a very close relationship, and she had a tattoo that read 'Daddy's little girl.' Mitch previously told BBC Newsbeat that the 2015 documentary Amy didn’t correctly address his relationship with his daughter. 'I was there every day,' he said. 'And if I wasn’t there – because I was working or I was away somewhere or she was away somewhere – she’d phone seven times a day. And there’s no sense of that in the film and that’s what’s disappointing.'
How old is Mitch Winehouse?
Mitch Winehouse is 73.
Is Mitch Winehouse married?
After divorcing Janis in 1993, Mitch married his second wife, Jane, in 1996. Together with Janis, they established the Amy Winehouse Foundation, to help young people make informed choices about their lives. However, in July last year, it was reported that Mitch and Jane, 53, are no longer together, although she remains a trustee of the foundation.
What is Mitch Winehouse's net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth reported that Amy was worth around $4million (£3.46million) at the time of her death. Her estate was reportedly split equally between Mitch and Janis, who used some of the inheritance to create the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
Where is Mitch Winehouse now?
Alongside his role as a chair of the Amy Winehouse Foundation, Mitch also has a career as a classical jazz singer and pays tribute to jazz icons Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald during his performances. As part of his singing career, he has toured the US and performed a concert in Brazil.
Last year, a court document revealed that Mitch is suing two of Amy's friends for more than £730,000, claiming they profited from selling her personal property at an auction.
What has Mitch Winehouse said about Amy’s death?
Mitch Winehouse has spoken out about his daughter’s death on several occasions. In a 2014 interview, three years after Amy’s death, Mitch explained that he communicates with her from beyond the grave. ‘She’s in here now saying, “Just get on with it, Dad.” I’m always speaking to her, all day, every day,’ he said. ‘Her passing was a mistake and at first she was very angry and upset — I could feel that — but now she’s more settled.’
Mitch previously revealed he was diagnosed with PTSD months after Amy’s death. ‘I realise now that the first four or five months after her death, I was in shock,’ he said. ‘I had a bit of a breakdown actually.’ He continued ‘I had to see a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist said I was suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder […] I was having flashbacks. This is the stuff our soldiers are facing every day,’ adding ‘I've managed to dispel those images and now I remember Amy as she always was, even during the dark times.’
Speaking to Grazia in 2012, Mitch detailed the guilt he feels about no longer having to worry about Amy every night. ‘In a way, subconsciously, it’s a relief that I don’t have to keep checking up on Amy,’ he said, 'There was a time in the midst of her drug addiction when she could have died on several occasions and I was always worried about her.' He also admitted he still sent Amy text messages telling her to come home. ‘But she’s never coming home and I’m going to have to deal with that for the rest of my life’, he added.
In an interview ahead of the 10-year anniversary of her death, Mitch told The Sun how he wants people to think about Amy's legacy. He said he tries to make people remember Amy for ‘her talent, her generosity and the love she showed us all’ and ‘not just her troubles with addiction.’