Amy's shows on

The singer has emphysema but will play Glasto and Mandela

23 June 2008 - Amy Winehouse's dad says she has been given the medical all clear to perform at Nelson Mandela's birthday concert on Friday (27 June) and Glastonbury on 28 June.

The singer has early stage emphysema, a condition usually associated with smoking, but her father seems confident that she will play this weekend.

Mitch Winehouse told the BBC: "She will be well enough to be at Glastonbury, not could be. She's well enough to be at Glastonbury now."

He went on to say: "The thing that's keeping her going is the thought of being able to perform again.

"That's what she lives for and she really wants to do the gigs at the weekend and with the doctors' permission and they have given her permission, she will perform."

Setting The Rumours Straight

Mitch Winehouse told the BBC that his reason for speaking out was in order to break his silence over his daughter's illness and correct some rumours.

"There's been some confusing messages coming out. There's been stuff about TB, stuff about HIV but she hasn't got any of that.

"She has a small amount of emphysema. Obviously there's a hangover from the drugs situation. But with no more inhalation from smoke of any kind, she'll be absolutely fine."

Amy's Prognosis

Mitch recently told the Sunday Mirror newspaper that doctors said if the singer had continued in the way she was going, she would have ended up an invalid. 

Mitch said: "Had it gone on for another month, they painted a very vivid picture of her sitting there with a mask on her face struggling to breathe."

He said that while Amy’s voice may be ruined by smoking, emphysema is potentially life threatening, and regaining her health will require a total change of lifestyle.

He also said he doesn’t want "her hanging out with mates like Pete Doherty either."

Record Company Pressure

Before Amy was admitted to hospital Mitch spoke to the BBC about suggestions that her record company have been putting her under pressure to release new material: "Nothing could be further from the truth. They (the record company) want her to produce an album when she's ready.

"Unfortunately for every album she produces, she's got to give 10 pints of blood and cut her heart out - that's her music.  She's never going to sit at a piano and write a Cole Porter song."

Victoria Hannaford / Georgie Rogers