George Michael

Pop superstar George Michael’s death at the age of 53 from suspected heart failure is being treated by police as “unexplained but not suspicious”.

The singer died peacefully at home, his family said on Sunday night.

“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,” Michael’s family said in a statement released by Thames Valley Police.

“The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.”

Michael died at his home in Goring-on-Thames. His publicist, Cindi Berger, said he had not been ill. Michael’s manager, Michael Lippman, says the cause of death was heart failure.

“Thames Valley Police were called to a property in Goring-on-Thames shortly before 2pm Christmas Day. Sadly, a 53-year-old man was confirmed deceased at the scene,” police said in a statement, adding that the singer’s death is being treated as “unexplained but not suspicious” and that a post mortem will be undertaken “in due course.”

Michael’s former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley said he was “heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog”, a nickname which refers to “Yours Only George”.

He said: “Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx”

Michael – whose real name is Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou – sold more than 100 million albums throughout a career spanning almost four decades. He had seven number one singles in the UK, with tracks such as Careless Whisper and Faith.

A one time busker, he teamed up with up with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981 to form Wham! which went on to massive success, releasing a string of hit singles including Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do), Club Tropicana, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, and Last Christmas.

With their extravagantly blow-dried hair, the band attracted millions of teenage followers around the world.

“There is no such thing as a reluctant star. Stars are almost always people that want to make up for their own weaknesses by being loved by the public and I’m no exception to that,” he once said.

The band’s first album, Fantastic, reached No 1 in 1983 and the group produced a succession of hits, with “Wake me up before you go-go” on reaching number 1 in the UK and the US.

Their song Last Christmas was a huge hit – although it was kept off the number one spot by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas – and is currently at number 16 in the UK chart.

Wham was the first western pop group to tour Communist China. The trip in April 1985 generated global media coverage – especially given that there was still hostility to what was considered decadent western music.

Michael started his solo career shortly before Wham! split, with the release of the megahit single “Careless Whisper,” making a seamless transition. Critics generally viewed his Wham! songs as catchy but disposable pop and gave his solo efforts far higher marks.

Michael and Ridgeley ended their partnership with a final chart-topping single The Edge Of Heaven in 1986 and triumphant Wembley shows.

His career thereafter saw him collaborate with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Sir Elton John and Queen, after the death of Freddie Mercury.

His 1987 album Faith – which has been remastered and later released in 2010 – was a massive success in 1988. It topped the charts in both the UK and the USA, selling more than 25 million copies and landing him a Grammy in 1989.

The album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 sold even more copies in the UK than Faith.

But lengthy legal battles followed as he tried to free himself from a deal with record label Sony which effectively prevented new recordings (only to re-sign with them a few years later). The legal wrangling led to plans for Listen Without Prejudice Vol 2 being scrapped.

He had another number one single in 1994, with Jesus to a Child, a tribute to his partner Anselmo Feleppa, who died of a brain haemorrhage the year before. It came from the album Older, a dark and in part autobiographical work.