Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli is telling Italians to stop wearing masks  and says the country’s lockdown measures have left him feeling ‘humiliated’.

The 61-year-old .who recovered from the virus in May and says he had just a slight fever admits to disobeying lock down rules and believes the severity of the virus has been exaggerated.

The opera star was seen as a symbol of national unity during the country’s strict lockdown period. He performed in an empty cathedral on Easter Sunday as part of a live streamed concert.

Italy was one of the first countries to enforce strict lock down measures in March, while face masks are still mandatory in public.

More than 35,000 Italians have died of COVID-19.