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Amy Winehouse's uncomfortable fame

Jul 29, 2008, 4:00 GMT

British singer songwriter Amy Winehouse on stage at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, west England. Winehouse was taken to University College Hospital in London on 28 July 2008. EPA/FRANTZESCO KANGARIS

Amy Winehouse never wanted to be famous.

The 'Back to Black' singer is "deeply uncomfortable" with her level of fame and prefers to socialise with "ordinary" people, according to her manager Raye Cosbert.

He said: "Amy is a public person. She's not like your usual reclusive star. She likes ordinary people.

"She likes playing pool with the bin men in her local pub. If she could take the tube everywhere, she would.

"She feels deeply uncomfortable in the world of VIP celebrity. It's unfortunate that you can't teach somebody how to deal with fame."

Amy also struggles to realise how famous she is, claims her father Mitch.

Speaking about her performance at London's Somerset House last year, Mitch Winehouse recalled to Britain's Sunday Times magazine: "She said to me, 'Dad what are all these people doing here?' She didn't get it. She didn't understand that she was the number one recording star in the world and everyone wanted to see her."