Photo: Wenn

Amy Winehouse Tickets

Amy Winehouse was ultimately killed by her eating disorder, rather than her substance abuse, her brother has revealed in his first full-length interview.

Speaking to the Observer Magazine, Alex Winehouse claims Amy’s long struggle bulimia left her weaker and more susceptible.

“She would have died eventually, the way she was going, but what really killed her was the bulimia.”

Amy died in July 2011, aged 27, with an inquest recording a verdict of misadventure after finding 416mg of alcohol per deciliter in her blood - more than five times the legal drink-drive limit. It was enough to make her comatose and depress her respiratory system.

But Alex says her system had been fundamentally weakened by years of bulimia, something she had struggled with since her teens.

“Had she not have had an eating disorder, she would have been physically stronger,” he tells the Observer.

The singer’s brother revealed that her battle with the eating disorder began when she was 17, saying she had a group of friends who “were all doing it. They’d put loads of rich sauces on their food, scarf it down and throw it up. They stopped doing it, but Amy never really stopped.

“We all knew she was doing it but it’s almost impossible [to tackle], especially if you’re not talking about it.”

Amy Winehouse quickly became one of the most iconic British artists ever

Since her death Amy’s family have set up a foundation in her name to help people with drug and alcohol abuse problems. The foundation is run by her brother and father, Mitch.

A statute of the ‘Rehab’ singer is due to be erected in Camden, and their are suggestions of a street in King’s Cross being named after her.

Below: Amy Winehouse's legacy: the beehive to the denim shorts