Catriona Gourlay shared an intensely close bond with Amy Winehouse that extended far beyond typical friendship. Their multifaceted relationship, marked by deep trust and shared experiences, began before Amy’s rise to fame and endured until her tragic death in 2011 at age 27.

Intimate Final Moments

Gourlay, now 43, assisted in preparing Winehouse’s body for burial after her passing in a London bedroom. She had shared a bed with Amy just days prior and coordinated with her hairdresser for the final arrangements. ‘I was so conscious that I didn’t want anyone else touching her,’ Gourlay recalls. ‘Also, if her hair wasn’t massive, we would have been haunted for the rest of our days.’

Post-funeral, Gourlay viewed Mitch Winehouse, Amy’s father, as a father figure, and he called her like a daughter he loved. She and stylist Naomi Parry, who selected Amy’s leopard-print dress for the coffin, dined with him on his birthday and the anniversary of Amy’s death. Their names appear on Amy’s headstone.

The High Court Clash

Devastation struck when Mitch Winehouse sued Gourlay and Parry after they auctioned items Amy had gifted them. He alleged they concealed the sales and demanded proceeds for the estate. The four-year battle ended two weeks ago with a ruling against Mitch. Deputy High Court Judge Sarah Clarke labeled him an ‘unreliable witness’ who ‘likes to dominate people and situations,’ affirming the women’s loyalty.

Devastating Personal Impact

The ordeal shattered Gourlay’s life. She lost her university job in Brighton due to stress, abandoned IVF plans amid fertility concerns from a 2020 health scare, and now faces bankruptcy. ‘I suffer from anxiety and this was my worst nightmare,’ she states. ‘The whole point of doing the auction was so I could have IVF. I never would have parted with anything so precious to me otherwise.’

Auctions in the US netted her £153,000 before tax, far less than reported figures. Emotionally, Mitch’s courtroom claim of love stung deeply. ‘That was one of the worst moments. How can you say that to someone across a courtroom knowing what you’d done to them?’ She regrets the sale now, as stored items needed care and insurance.

A Multifaceted Bond

Gourlay and Winehouse met in 2002 at a Brick Lane vintage store. A year apart in age, they bonded intensely, moving to a Camden flat after three months. ‘We developed a very intense, obsessive friendship from the start,’ Gourlay says. ‘We both wore our hearts on our sleeves.’

Their flat buzzed with chaos—clothes everywhere, Amy singing beautifully. She fiercely protected friends. Despite late nights, Amy craved a homely life and motherhood. Gourlay describes their closeness as ‘like blood,’ living 24/7 together until Blake Fielder-Civil entered the picture.

Their dynamic was fluid, with Amy hinting at bisexuality. ‘It’s hard to describe,’ Gourlay notes. ‘There was a core group of women that loved her in every way.’ Mitch reportedly had no objections to any intimacy.

Final Days and Regrets

The day before Amy’s death, they spent casually: KFC, TV in bed. Amy seemed healthier post-Belgrade meltdown, drug-free, proud of Gourlay’s sobriety. ‘I thought she was finally coming out the other side,’ Gourlay reflects.

Blake’s toxic influence horrified Gourlay; Amy tattooed his name despite warnings. Their marriage fueled Back to Black but became a burden. Amy beat addictions but felt trapped by past songs.

Gourlay believes Amy would be ‘absolutely devastated’ by the lawsuit. ‘If Amy had been alive, the legal action wouldn’t have happened.’ She envisions Amy traveling, possibly quitting fame, and both as mothers today.