Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley has expressed her surprise at Amy Winehouse not scooping the Mercury Music Prize last week.

The genial presenter said that ‘Back To Black’ was easily her favourite album of the last year and should have beat Klaxons’ ‘Myths of the Near Future’ to the prestigious honour.

She said: "Everyone was surprised. Amy was the favourite. The Klaxons are lovely boys but Amy should have won.

"Back To Black is definitely my album of the past year - it's spellbinding. Her performance at the Mercury show was amazing. But it's not about how she performed, it's about the album."