Amy Winehouse Died Of Bulimia, Says Brother Alex

In his first full-length interview, Amy Winehouse’s brother Alex claims that the late singer lost her life because of bulimia.

While Alex admits that Amy had her problems with drugs and alcohol, he told The Guardian that an eating disorder ultimately caused her demise – and it was a condition that Amy had struggled with since her late teens.

A ‘dark’ issue

Alex, who is four years older than Amy, said that his sister started hanging out with a group of girls in high school who were all bulimic.

“They’d put loads of rich sauces on their food, scarf it down and throw it up,” Alex recalled. “They stopped doing it, but Amy never really did.”

He explained that Amy’s bulimia was “almost impossible” to deal with, especially given the secretive nature of the condition and the fact that the family wasn’t talking about it.

“She suffered from bulimia … That’s not, like, a revelation – you knew just by looking at her … what really killed her was the bulimia.”

Deadly fame

Amy’s official cause of death was reported to be accidental alcohol poisoning, but Alex said that bulimia made her weaker and more susceptible to the damaging effects of drugs and alcohol.

He also noted that fame became a thorn in Amy’s side – to the point where her life lacked any semblance of normalcy.

“She was pretty much shut in the house and couldn’t go anywhere,” Alex explained. “The interest that they had in her was absolutely insane. She didn’t want it, but her every moment was covered in the press.”

And while Alex said that his sister “had no limits,” he also claimed that she was “incredibly generous” and caring.

“She was loyal – as a sister, daughter and friend. She was probably the most loyal friend to people I’ve ever known.”

Alex’s interview occurred in conjunction with the opening of a new exhibit at the Jewish Museum entitled “Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait.”

Source: Business Insider

Photo via Festival Eurockéennes