Pop star George Michael – real name Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou – has died peacefully at his homea, aged 53 after spending more than 30 years entertaining the world with his extraordinary talent.
Police are describing the death as “unexplained but not suspicious”.
They said paramedics attended his home in Goring in Oxfordshire at 1.42pm today -where he was declared dead at the scene.
His publicist announced he has “passed away peacefully at home” at 11pm last night.
The full statement read: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.
“The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.”
The Careless Whisper singer, who was born in East Finchley in London, on June 25, 1963, made a staggering £142million after releasing seven solo albums from 1987 to 2014 and sold 100million copies of his work.
He began busking on the London Underground after he met Wham! partner and guitarist Andrew Ridgeley at Bushey Meads School in Hertfordshire.
Wham! was formed in 1981 and their debut album, Fantastic, reached number one in the UK two years later.
But the group split in 1986 and their separation sparked one of the most successful British solo careers. Michael’s life in recent years has however been dogged by controversy
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