Amy Winehouse's tough childhood

13-03-2008 11:35

Amy Winehouse's father believes his extra-marital affair ruined her childhood.Mitch Winehouse admits he made his daughter's early life difficult by cheating on her mother Janis for eight years, before leaving the family home to live with his mistress Jane in 1993.He said: "The affair was in the open and the children used to call Jane 'Daddy's work wife'. I did not leave home until Amy was ten so the situation occurred for eight or nine years before I left home. It was difficult. "I didn't realise what effect my behaviour had on her until I heard her song 'What Is It About Men', with the line 'All the s**t my mother went through', which obviously referred to me."However, Mitch - who married Jane in 1996 - insists he is not to blame for his daughter's current battle with drink and drugs, and even thinks his affair inspired her talent.He revealed to BBC TV show 'One Life: Rock Star Parents': "She couldn't articulate what was wrong in words but she certainly did with her music."What she is going through at the moment is terrible. She could die horribly, but that cannot happen.