Amy Winehouse’s father suing two of late singer’s friends over auction profits

The father of Amy Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse, is suing two of the late singer’s friends over claims they profited from an auction of the late musician’s belongings.

A new report in The Sun claims Mitch is suing Amy’s friends Catriona Gourlay and Naomi Parry after they allegedly kept profits from a sale of her belongings. He claims that any money made should have gone to the Amy Winehouse Foundation which was set up in the singer’s memory following her death from alcohol poisoning in 2011.

Catriona Gourlay and Naomi Parry allegedly gained a portion of £3.3million raised during a 2021 auction in Beverly Hills. A dress made by Parry reportedly fetched £200,000 at the auction.

The Amy Winehouse Foundation said in a statement: “In 2021, Amy’s estate auctioned items from her life and career with 30 per cent of the proceeds going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Two individuals sold a number of items at that auction and have retained the proceeds: the items were all Amy related.”

“This year they have put more Amy-related items up for auction and together the two auctions have generated six figure sums for each of them,” it added.

“The estate has questioned how these items came into their possession and has not had satisfactory answers. The estate has therefore launched a legal process to clarify the situation. The Amy Winehouse Foundation will directly benefit if monies are recovered from either Defendant.”

As per The Mail, it is believed that Gourlay and Parry dispute the claims.

Last month saw Winehouse’s friend and collaborator Mark Ronson pay tribute to the late singer on what would have been her 40th birthday. “We miss the Lioness so much,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Winehouse’s live band announced details of a special London concert in her honour. The gig will be held at Koko in the star’s hometown of Camden on December 22, 2023.