As I wrote in Not In My Name, it is amusing when ageing rock men criticise Amy Winehouse’s lifestyle, even though they caned it beyond belief in their prime. Francis Rossi of Status Quo has had a pop at her drug-use, which was rich coming from a man who boasts that he took so much cocaine that his septum disappeared down the plughole. The horrible Ian Brown, too, has criticised her love of a drink or two, saying that she must be “scared of life”. Hmm, and I suppose his famously prodigious smoking of pot is motivated by something other than a desire to escape reality.

Now, Alex James of Blur – who admits he has spent the best part of a million pounds on cocaine – says he will be surprised if Amy and Pete Doherty live beyond 2010. Is this a touch of wishful thinking from an over-the-hill man who misses being the bell of the ball? Or just straightforward hypocrisy?

Mind you, I see that the Blur reunion tickets aren’t selling as quickly as hoped. So I suppose James’s leeching off her limelight might be just a desperate publicity stunt. It will soon be time for another ‘We’re not doing it for the money which is why we’re charging £50 per ticket’ interview from the vile Damon Albarn.