I know I promised I’d back off the Amy Winehouse stories, but this is just too good to pass up. Amy is quickly going the way of Britney Spears – including being grounded like a child and monitored by her father. Amy recently admitted that she’d continued using drugs even while she was in rehab. That revelation – combined with her checking out of the hospital – caused her father Mitch to ban her from leaving the house a few days ago.

Unfortunately Amy was photographed sneaking out and jumping into a random passerby’s car. Her record label decided they’d had more than enough, and have put her on a serious lockdown – complete with security to keep her inside the house. And just as importantly – to keep others out.

Amy Winehouse has sensationally confessed to taking drugs while being treated for heroin addiction. Now concerned record label bosses have put the 24-year-old singer on round-the-clock watch in a last-ditch attempt to get her to clean up her act.

Amy admits: “I’ve never been to rehab – I mean, done it properly. I’m young, and I’m in love, and I get my nuts off sometimes… But it’s never been like, ‘Amy, get your life together’ … To be honest, my husband’s away, I’m bored, I’m young. I felt like there was nothing to live for. It’s just been a low ebb.”

…following her explosive interview with Rolling Stone magazine, music executives have got tough. We’re told: “Effectively, Amy’s been put under house arrest. She is being monitored by 24/7 surveillance to make sure she’s behaving herself and keeping out of harm’s way. There is also a security guard stationed outside her house around the clock to vet any undesirables.

From now on there’ll be no more waifs and strays – or fans – coming into her place, wreaking havoc. Crucially, they don’t want known drug dealers coming anywhere near her. Amy has to give them names of people expected. Anyone who turns up uninvited will be sent packing. It’s for her own good.”

[From the Mirror]

It’s pretty sad to hear all that, and it sounds like Amy really has no clue how far she’s fallen. Which means things will have to get a hell of a lot worse before she tries to make any improvements in her life. I can see why her record label is doing whatever they can, but frankly locking Amy up isn’t going to do any good in the long term. It’s one of the saddest things in the world, but they really will have to let her reach whatever her rock bottom is before anything will change. I can’t even imagine how low a point that must be.

Here’s Amy Winehouse’s hand – yep, that’s all we get of her. According to WENN, she “had to barter with two men for a smoke and made a deal through her letterbox to exchange an autograph for two cigarettes,” yesterday. Header of Winehouse outside her home on June 30th. Images thanks to WENN.