George Michael dies ‘of heart failure’

Oxfordshire, (Daily Mail, London), 26 December 2016 -  Pop star George Michael has died aged 53 at his home in Oxfordshire.  

The musician’s publicist said that he had ‘passed away peacefully’ at his property in Goring at 1.42 pm today. Michael’s former manager Michael Lippman said he had died in bed as a result of ‘heart failure.’ Thames Valley Police said officers were called to a property in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, shortly before 2pm on Christmas Day.  

A spokesman said: ‘Sadly, a 53-year-old man was confirmed deceased at the scene. At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.’   

His Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley and close friend Elton John have lead the tributes to the star on social media.While enjoying a glittering career, Michael has endured a turbulent personal life and nearly died from pneumonia while on tour in late 2011.   After receiving treatment in a Vienna hospital, he made a tearful appearance outside his London home and said it had been ‘touch and go’ whether he lived.  Doctors had performed a tracheotomy to keep his airways open and he was unconscious for some of his spell in hospital.  Michael had also struggled with drug addiction.