Amy Winehouse_ The Biography - Chas Newkey-Burden [58]
She was also spotted pounding away on a running machine shortly before her Berlin concert. Her health kick also involved one-on-one tuition with yoga guru David Sye, who is based in her hometown of Camden and has previously trained the likes of the fashion designer and actress Sadie Frost.
‘Amy has been having regular one-on-one sessions with David for five weeks now,’ said a source. ‘It’s been a big step for Amy and one that could play a huge role in her eventually beating her demons. She pops into his studio for sessions but has also been calling him regularly on the phone for spiritual advice. Her health has improved over the last few weeks and she has been looking a lot more glowing and healthy. She has started to worry about her health, so she’s lucky to have found something that works for her right on her doorstep.’
Her European tour hit a snag when Amy arrived in Norway. She and Blake were relaxing with a friend in the SAS Hotel, in Bergen, in southwestern Norway, when police knocked on the door. The police claim they found seven grams of cannabis in the room and arrested the trio. According to one person present, ‘When the police entered the hotel corridor, they quickly noticed a heavy marijuana odour. They knocked on the hotel room door and were met by a very wobbly pop star.’
Another eyewitness described the scene as ‘like something from the action movie Lethal Weapon, as most of the city’s police force turned out – with an ambulance’. The source added that Amy ‘had problems remaining on her feet when she opened the door and saw the uniformed police. Making matters even worse, [she] was so intoxicated she experienced great difficulties communicating with the police officers.’ Indeed, it is believed that police were forced to wait until 11 p.m. before interviewing her, such was her state.
They were kept in police custody overnight and then fined and released. Amy and Blake were ordered to pay £350 between them, while the other arrested man was fined £240. Prosecutor Lars Morten Lothe explained how the police came to be knocking on Amy’s door and what happened next: ‘We had a tip from a good source, which led to police checking up on the tip. She spent a few hours in custody from Thursday evening to early Friday; she got a fine and then she was released. They signed a ticket, a fine, at the police station some hours ago. It is a closed case.’
When Amy left police custody she was reportedly in a confused state and asked for a cab to take her back to her hotel. Instead, she was given directions for the short walk back to the hotel.
Mitchell had flown to Bergen to offer his support but the trio had already been freed by the time he arrived. Despite the prosecutor’s valiant attempts to prevent the matter being blown out of all proportion, the press naturally went to town on the story. AMY WINEHOUSE GOES TO POT, yelled E! Online. WINEHOUSE ARRESTED OVER DRUGS, screamed the Daily Star in a story that included yet more predictions that she is ‘heading for an early grave’. Even the hotel trade media got in on the act, with a journalist for the online Hotel Chatter saying, ‘What is shocking is that it was just weed. Doesn’t Amy do like harder Class-A type of drugs? And we also learned that Amy doesn’t mind shacking up in Radissons but perhaps in the future Amy should check into more drug-friendly hotels.’
Immediately there were fears that the arrest might lead Amy to cancel the following evening’s appearance at