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Monday March 9, 2009

Amy Winehouse has been left “absolutely gutted” after being denied a US work visa.

The Rehab singer, 25, was set to play at the Coachella festival next month but has been told her entry would be blocked because she has been charged with assaulting a fan.

Her spokesman said, “She is not appearing at Coachella this year in the light of current legal issues.”

Winehouse had been lined up as one of the headline acts alongside The Killers and Paul McCartney at the California gig in April.

A source added, “Amy is absolutely gutted. She was looking forward to getting back on stage and this was going to be one of the biggest shows of her life. She was second on the bill on the Saturday night to the Killers.

“As well as 75,000 fans, there would have been top record execs there too so she might have even tried out some new material.

“But because of the court case she can’t get a visa. It’s a real setback after she has been getting clean from drugs over in Barbados.”

Amy – who recently arrived back in London after spending almost three months on holiday in the Caribbean – has been ordered to appear in court later this month in connection with claims that she lashed out and hit dancer Sherene Flash, who had asked if she could take a photograph of her.

Flash says initially the singer agreed to pose for a snap but changed her mind and hit her in the eye instead screaming: “Life can’t go on. I can’t do this any more.”