Boy George sees himself in Amy

Boy George says Amy Winehouse reminds him of himself.

The former Culture Club singer - who has battled an addiction to cocaine - realised he had a connection with the troubled star when she was recently taken to the same east London police station where he was held on charges of false imprisonment last May.

He said: "I love Amy Winehouse. My favourite thing was seeing her going into Shoreditch police station (in connection to a bribery plot) because that's where I was nicked. It's obviously the pop star cop shop. "She looks as it she should be in 'Hairspray', the pencil skirt, the beehive, always slightly dizzy.

She reminds me of myself in the early days of Culture Club." Amy was quizzed by police about her husband Blake Fielder-Civil's alleged plot to bribe a barman he is accused of assaulting. All charges against Amy were later dropped.

George, 46, also revealed the 'Rehab' singer inspired him to start singing again, because her music made him cry. He added to Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper: "She really inspired me to sing again. For me, the measure of a great singer is whether they make me cry. I love George Michael's voice but he never made me cry. Amy makes it sound effortless, but she's not faking it. It comes down to a complete package, feeling it, doing it, living it."

The star - who was sentenced to sweeping the streets as part of his community service for falsely reporting a burglary in 2005 - kicked off his first tour in 10 years last night (23.01.08).

He said: "It's about getting out there and reminding people this is what I do, because I've become like a road sweeper, kidnapper, b****y guy that gets wheeled out to sl*g everyone off. Less talking, more singing, that's my motto."