I've carried the burden of Amy's death for 12 years..

Singer's ex-hubby opens up on her 40th birthday

- LAURA HARDING and MARK JEFFERIES

THE ex-husband of late singer Amy Winehouse says he has shouldered the burden of her death for more than a decade but now wants to "stop carrying that cross alone".

Blake Fielder-Civil, who was married to Winehouse from 2007 to 2009, was in prison when the singer died aged 27 from alcohol poisoning in 2011.

Both battled substance abuse.

Fielder-Civil, 41, confirmed Winehouse had not tried heroin until she saw him taking it but added: "I wasn't an addict before Amy was.

"I had done drugs, there's a difference between somebody that takes drugs socially.

"This isn't me trying to demean my role.