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George Michael found fame as part of the 80s’ pop group Wham!
The British heartthrob went on to have a massive solo career that kicked off with 1987’s ‘Faith’ album
The singer/songwriter died on Christmas Day 2016
George Michael’s life gets a big spotlight in the upcoming Netflix documentary about his 80s’ pop group Wham!. The film charts George and co-founder Andrew Ridgeley’s journey from school chums to international pop stars after forming the band in 1981. Called Wham!, the doc combines previously unseen interviews and footage from the two artists’ archives, as it takes a deeper look at the duo who created such massive hits as “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go and “Careless Whisper.” The trailer was posted on both George’s Instagram and Andrew’s Instagram, as well.
George Michael died on Christmas Day 2016. (James D Morgan/Shutterstock)
While Andrew has continued to bask in the glory that is the legacy of Wham!, George sadly passed away on Christmas Day in 2016, leaving a huge hole in the heart of Britain’s pop music world. Keep reading to find out more about the artist’s shocking death, below.
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Where Did George Michael Die?
George’s family announced the news of his death in a statement issued through the singer’s publicist in December 2016. “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 statement said.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgely in Wham! (Everett Collection)
At the time of his death at the age of 53, George was residing at his home in the tony area of Goring-on-Thames in South Oxfordshire, Britain. He had become a bit of a recluse by this time in his life, according to a neighbor. “He hardly ever left the house,” the neighbor revealed. “Occasionally, I think he would pop to the local pub, but he wasn’t exactly a regular in any of the pubs or restaurants there…[we] hardly ever saw him.”
Who Found George Michael Dead?
The “I Want your Sex” hitmaker’s boyfriend at the time, Fadi Fawaz, would run errands in Goring-on-Thames, said the neighbor. “His boyfriend would sometimes go to the cafe opposite his house to pick up food, but never George himself. I have never seen him.”
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Fadi, who met George in 2009 after the singer’s split from his long-term partner Kenny Goss, found George lifeless in bed on Christmas morning in 2016. At the time, Fadi tweeted, “Its a xmas i will never forget finding your partner dead peacefully in bed first thing in the morning.. I will never stop missing you xx.”
Three days later, Fadi did an interview with The Daily Telegraph and detailed more about the harrowing experience. “We were supposed to be going for Christmas lunch. I went around there to wake him up and he was just gone, lying peacefully in bed,” the hairstylist explained. “Now everything is ruined. I want people to remember him the way he was, he was a beautiful person.”
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Andrew Ridgeley’s Ex-Wife & His Romantic Relationships Ever Since WHAM! Days
What Was George Michael’s Cause Of Death
After an initial autopsy failed to determine the cause of death, a British coroner ruled in March 2017 that the pop star died of natural causes as the result of heart disease and a fatty liver, according to the Florida Times-Union. Darren Salter, senior coroner for the county of Oxfordshire in southern England, said a post-mortem has found that the singer, who famously battled substance abuse disorder, died of “dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver.”
George Michael in his solo heydey. (Everett Collection)
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the left ventricle of the heart becomes stretched and weakened, limiting the heart’s ability to pump blood. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle.
A few months before he passed, George was spotted at dinner with friends in Oxfordshire, seemingly in high spirits, as reported by his fellow Goring-on-Thames villagers. “He was very talented, of course. But he was also very kind, sensitive and a good person,” photographer Chris Craymer, who worked with the talented British singer, shared. “He had great empathy for people. So this great talent combined with this great personality? That’s how I’ll remember him.”
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