Amy Whitehouse was one of the greatest singers of her generation and now the BBC is celebrating 20 years since the release of her Back To Black album
Amy Winehouse was a huge star who died at the height of fame(Image: Getty Images)
Amy Winehouse was one of the biggest stars of the noughties.
The singer known for her black beehive, heavy make-up and most of all her incredible voice was a huge talent and after launching her debut album, Frank, she quickly shot to fame.
But it was her follow up Back To Black which really cemented her as one of the greatest singers and songwriters around and she went on to amass awards, including Brits and Grammys, as well as critical acclaim.
Despite her global success, Amy struggled with her personal demons and made headlines for her short, ill-fated marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil. Her substance and alcohol abuse as well as weight loss were well documented over the years.
But despite her personal troubles, her musical legacy remains undimmed and on Saturday, October 24, BBC Two is dedicating hours of programming to mark the 20th anniversary of Back to Black and celebrate her legacy.
How did Amy die and how old was she?
Amy was found dead at her flat in Camden, London on July 23, 2011 when she was just 27 years old. A second inquest into her death confirmed that she died of alcohol poisoning after binge drinking following a period of abstinence, reported The Guardian.
It was held after an investigation found the original coroner, Suzanne Greenaway – who was hired by her husband, Dr Andrew Reid, the coroner for inner north London – did not have the correct qualifications for the role.
The new inquest repeated the findings that Amy had 416mg of alcohol per decilitre in her blood, enough to make her comatose and depress her respiratory system.
Recording a verdict of misadventure, the St Pancras coroner, Dr Shirley Radcliffe, said: “She voluntarily consumed alcohol, a deliberate act that took an unexpected turn in that it caused her death.”
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What are the BBC shows?
The first programme, Any Winehouse at the BBC, features a collection of memorable archive performances and rare interviews. Through these it shines a light on Amy’s incredible talent, showcasing hits like Rehab’, Love Is a Losing Game and Stronger Than Me.
This is followed by Amy Winehouse: Back To Black at 20, which sees Jo Whiley welcome a star-studded line-up of singers alongside the Amy Winehouse Band to perform each song from the album in a concert held at the Roundhouse in Camden.
Amy Winehouse In Her Own Words is a profile of the star threaded together from interviews she gave to the BBC while the coverage is rounded off with Amy Winehouse at Glastonbury 2007 featuring highlights of her performance on the legendary Pyramid Stage.
The Amy Winehouse programmes start on BBC Two on Saturday, October 24 at 8.35pm