AMY Winehouse won one of the British music industry's most coveted awards for the second year in a row yesterday.
But the wayward singer's flair for negative publicity came in to play yet again when she showed up too late to pick up her own prize.
Her father, Mitch, went on stage to collect her Ivor Novello for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, for Love is A
Losing Game.
He told the audience: "I don't know what I'm doing up here. Amy unfortunately couldn't make it but she's getting better and she sends you all her love."
Last year, Winehouse's song Rehab, about her refusal to seek treatment for her drinking, won the Ivor Novello for Best Contemporary Song.
This year, judges opted to overlook the singer's troubles.
They nominated Rehab again, this time for Best-Selling British Song. Love is a Losing Game and You Know I'm No Good, were both nominated for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.
Organisers say it is the first time that a singer has been twice-nominated for Best Song since the awards were launched in 1955.
Mitch Winehouse read out a message of thanks from his daughter which failed to mention the singer's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil. He is in jail awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, but Mr Winehouse said he just "forgot" to name-check his son-in-law.
He said: "She's asked me to thank the Ivors for being the first to recognise her talent."
He thanked the singer's manager, saying he should be awarded the "equivalent of the Victoria Cross".
More than halfway through the ceremony Winehouse finally turned up, sitting on a table and draping her arms around her father. She said afterwards: "I'm fine, really well," and complained that he merely said she was "getting better".
This year's Best Contemporary Song was People Help The People, by Cherry Ghost.
Take That won the Novello for Most Performed Song with Shine, one of their comeback tracks. It beat Just Jack's Starz in their Eyes and the Kaiser Chiefs' Ruby.
In Rainbows, the Radiohead album sold online for fans to pay as little as they liked, won the Album Award.
Lebanese-born star Mica was named Songwriter of the Year.
Soul II Soul star Jazzie D won the first Novello Inspiration Award for being "a pioneer" and "the man who gave black British music a soul of its own".
The gongs go toBest song, musically and lyrically: Love Is A Losing Game, Amy Winehouse
Best contemporary song: People Help The People, Cherry Ghost
Best television soundtrack: Oliver Twist
Best original film score: Atonement
Best songwriter: Mika, below
Best-selling British song: Beautiful Liar Beyonce and Shakira
Best album: In Rainbows Radiohead
International achievement: Phil Collins
Classical music award: Jonathan Dove
Outstanding song collection: Gabrielle
PRS outstanding contribution to British music: Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook
Lifetime achievement: David Gilmour
The full article contains 494 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
