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’s sympathy is not without reservations. He wonders whether she has more of an active role to play in all the drama than people might believe. ‘She has contributed to that. I don’t think she’s completely innocent in all of this. I wonder how it is that a photographer happens to be there at half-five in the morning as she emerges from her house in her bra. I don’t get that; how did that happen? She seems to be very complicit in this. It’s like the fight her and Blake had at the Sanderson Hotel. If you’re going to have a fight, have it at home with the doors shut. This playing her dramas out in public is not a healthy thing. It detracts from what is important, which is her music.’ Mark Simpson, asked by the author if he believes Winehouse engineers her troubles for publicity, said: ‘If they are engineered, then she deserves much more sympathy – and respect – than if they were unplanned.’

She may have looked upset as she stumbled around Bow, but she had decided to move home to that neighbourhood after concluding that her previous home in Camden had too many bad memories, including a drug overdose and numerous memories of Blake. During the move, a ‘rather suspicious bag of white stuff’ was photographed in the car boot by the London Lite newspaper. ‘In response to photos published in the London Lite of “white stuff” in the back of the car in which Amy Winehouse was driven in, [the items in the bag] are in fact the driver’s hand towels,’ said a statement from Amy’s camp. ‘Any implication or suggestion otherwise would be unfair.’

As with the YouTube video, it was obvious to anyone with decent eyesight that the photograph was not of drugs. Once ensconced in her new Bow home, Amy was visited by friends, including Sadie Frost. ‘Sadie arrived looking very serious like she was visiting a patient,’ an onlooker told the London Paper. ‘It didn’t really seem like a social call.’

The tabloids were by this time running wildly conflicting reports about Amy’s health. Some had her in rehab and clean, others had her on drug binges, losing all her teeth. ‘Amy is still using drugs when Blake’s in prison,’ said a source. ‘She’s using more cocaine and heroin now than ever. She can’t stop crying and keeps saying all she wants is peace. She’s not eating or sleeping properly and is in pieces.

‘Amy is very upset about her teeth because they have literally been falling out,’ a source said. ‘She has one missing from the front of her mouth, and another one at the back, which is less visible. Her mouth is full of holes and she’s desperately worried she’s going to lose more. She’s actually pulled a tooth out herself, which is absolutely disgusting.’

Only hours before Amy had wandered the streets of London in her bra, her friend Pete Doherty had dedicated a song to her during a Babyshambles concert in Glasgow. Before the band launched into the anthemic song ‘Down in Albion’, Doherty said, ‘She’s a great girl and this song is for her.’ Meanwhile, Liam Gallagher of Oasis was also speaking out in her defence. He said, ‘She plays with fire, you get burnt. That’s the way it goes. If she knows what she’s doing’s not good then she needs to back up a bit. She’s young. I’d probably be doing the same thing – except twice the drugs. I’m sure she’ll grow out of it.’ Asked about her music, the normally savage and critical Gallagher said, ‘It’s all right. I like that “Rehab”. I’ve just heard stuff on TV. She’s good.’

Liam’s hero, the Beatle Ringo Starr, also came out for Amy. ‘God bless Amy. She’s a great talent and she’s going through a situation right now. The good news is that there’s more help around now than before.’ Then came support from Mary J Blige, who said of Amy and Britney Spears, ‘They’re human beings, and they’re young, in a business that doesn’t give a hoot about you. It’s just sad. I hate to see any of these females go through it. I was young, and I did dumb stuff – I was doing worse than that.’

Most worried were Amy’s parents. Mitchell said, ‘I’m very concerned for Amy’s welfare. She’s very, very tired. She’s sorry to have let the fans down. She