Amy Winehouse's stepdad has died at the age of 71. Richard Collins - who supported the tragic singer through much of her career and helped her mum Janis set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation back in 2011 after she died from alcohol poisoning at the age of 27 - passed away "earlier this week", the foundation confirmed.
Without revealing a specific cause, the Foundation wrote on Twitter: "We are very sad to bring you news that our trustee Richard Collins, has passed away this week.
Devoted and caring husband to Janis, and Dad to Michael and Jess, we will always remember his great humour and sense of fun.
Sending love to all the family. " The news comes just days after Janis - who divorced Amy's father Mitch Winehouse in 1993 after 17 years of marriage and struck up a relationship with her childhood friend Richard in 2008 before marrying him in 2011 just months after Amy's death - took to Twitter to announce that her husband was in hospital and she had nearly "lost him twice. " At the time, she wrote: "‘Hi all in Twitter land,hubby (Richard) has been in hospital since last week and we nearly lost him twice!
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