Andrea Bocelli 'humiliated' by Italy's lockdown rules

Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli has said he felt "humiliated and offended" by lockdown measures imposed in the country due to coronavirus.

"I could not leave the house even though I had committed no crime," Bocelli said.

He also admitted to disobeying lockdown rules and believing the severity of the pandemic had been overblown, according to BBC News.

The singer's comments will surprise many as he had become a symbol of national unity at the height of the lockdown.

On Easter Sunday, the acclaimed Bocelli sang alone at a deserted Milan cathedral in a live-streamed solo performance called Music for Hope.

Bocelli made the remarks at a conference in Italy's Senate attended by opposition politicians including Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League party.

Mr Salvini has attacked the government of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte over the handling of the health crisis in Italy.

A national lockdown began in Italy in early March and was eased in stages over the following months.