Amy Winehouse's father: 'My daughter hated hard drugs before she wed Blake'

While Mitch concedes Blake Fielder-Civil is "not entirely responsible" for Amy's drug problems, he believes they worsened after the two married last year.

Before getting together with Blake, Amy had told her dad she thought class A drugs were "for mugs".

Blake, 25, is currently languishing in London's Pentonville prison awaiting trial for GBH and alleged trial fixing.

In an interview with Closer magazine, Mitch said: "He's not entirely responsible, she's got to take a portion of the responsibility, but it's clear, it really kicked off when they got together."

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He added: "It would be foolish for me to say he's the ideal son-in-law.

"In an ideal world, I'd have loved Amy to marry a doctor or a lawyer or something like that, but I don't think that would happen with Amy."

And in a marked contrast to his previous forthright views on Amy's choice of husband, the former taxi driver admitted that he had learned a bit more about his incarcerated son-in-law, and his background, and realised that "to a certain extent he's just as much of a victim as Amy".

Mitch said: "He had a problematic upbringing, he moved out of home at 16 and was homeless in London at 18. That's why I do have sympathy for him.

"Blake's got the chance now to prove how much he really loves Amy by staying drug-free. Their marriage can't survive if they're together on drugs.

"One or both will die, that's all there is to it."

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Amy's huge talent, and the massive publicity generated by her descent into drug addiction has seen her receive offers of help from the celebrity world, including Bryan Adams, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and pal Sadie Frost.

Mitch revealed Who frontman Roger Daltrey recently lent his support to the family, and that she had had a visit from notorious addict Pete Doherty while in rehab.

Mitch said: "Roger phoned me yesterday and we talked about his experiences of drug addiction in his family, it's a great support knowing people care."

Amy and Kelly Osbourne are best friends, and the family has offered her the use of a self-contained bungalow on their property at their sprawling mansion in Buckinghamshire. Pete Doherty also visited her in rehab, Mitch revealed: "I was upset because he's not the ideal person to have around when someone's got a drug issue.

"But I have to be honest; he was completely charming when I met him.

"He and Amy were sitting on the bed playing their guitars together and there were absolutely no drugs at all between them."

Amy's mother Janis also revealed her feelings recently, on Amy's traumatic time in rehab, and her triumphant return to the stage when she performed live by satellite for the Grammy Awards.

She told Look magazine: "It was horrific. She was very ill and had terrible withdrawal symptoms for three days - vomiting, shaking and fevers, which is how I knew she was going cold turkey.

"I am more proud of that than when she got her Grammy awards.

"I'm a pharmacist, so I know about heroin addicts and it's an incredibly hard thing to go through.

"Her addiction wasn't as bad as everyone thinks but heroin is a b****** drug to come off."

The 54-year-old revealed that she feared Amy wouldn't be alive to perform at the Grammys. And the only way she was able to cope was by switching off emotionally.

She said: "I knew she'd pull through and I may have seemed complacent, but it was the only way I could cope."

Amazingly, despite her daughter's nine-month marriage to Blake, Janis says she has never met his family, or mother Georgette.

Janis said: "That surprises people, but if I was meant to, I would have by now.

"It's of no consequence, as all they seem to do is point the finger at Amy."

She added: "Amy's a survivor. I've had enough silly childhood things to know that - she once ate a toadstool in the garden when she was a toddler.

"She's always wanted to taste, try, understand everything at every level all her life - I guess it feeds her creativity.

"She has a true passion for life. And Ribena. And ice pops and chocolates!"