Andrea Bocelli usually makes headlines for his incredible singing voice and charitable endeavours, however the Italian tenor found himself in hot water this week after he admitted to breaking Italy’s strict lockdown laws during the height of the pandemic.

Speaking at a Senate hearing, the 61-year-old – who has recovered from Covid-19 himself – Bocelli described the current global situation as the “so-called pandemic” and admitted he felt “humiliated” by Italy’s lockdown laws. The country became one of the first in the world to limit the movement of residents in early March in a bid to try and stem the spread of the virus.

“I felt humiliated and offended as a citizen when I was forbidden to leave the house. I must also confess, and I do it here publicly, that in some cases I have also voluntarily disobeyed this ban because it did not seem right or healthy,” he told the conference, reports Classic FM. “I am of a certain age and I need sun and vitamin D.”

Many people have hit out following Bocelli’s admission, including Italian activist group ‘We Will Denounce’ who said the singer would likely change his tune if he visited towns in northern Italy where thousands of people died from the virus. While Italian rapper Fedez said: “If you don’t know anyone who has been in the ICU and if you allow yourself to instil the doubt that the pandemic is a fantasy, I present you with a friend of mine who, because of COVID, had to undergo a lung transplant at age 18. Being silent from time to time doesn’t hurt.”

Earlier this year, the 61-year-old singer put on an incredibly poignant Easter concert from Milan’s empty Duomo to mark the religious holiday, whilst much of the world remained in lockdown.

The ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ singer was accompanied only by cathedral organist Emanuele Vianelli throughout the performance, which was titled ‘Music for Hope’, and belted out a number of beautiful songs, including ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Ave Maria’.

“I will cherish the emotion of this unprecedented and profound experience, of this Holy Easter which this emergency has made painful, but at the same time even more fruitful, one that will stay among my dearest memories of all time,” Bocelli said, ahead of the concert.