George Michael – or Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou to give him his full name – has died. The news was announced on Christmas Day.
"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," says a spokesperson. "The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage."
Thames Valley Police say: "At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious". The tributes have been pouring in with his Wham! co-conspirator Andrew Ridgeley, Elton John, Duran Duran, Ellen DeGeneres, Martine McCutcheon, Eamonn Holmes and William Shatner among the diverse range of celebrity friends and admirers paying their online respects.
"I am in deep shock," says Elton. "I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans."
Adds Boy George: "I am thinking of George Michael's family, friends and fans right now. He was so loved and I hope he knew it because the sadness today is beyond words. Devastating. What a beautiful voice he had and his music will live on as a testament to his talent. I can't believe he is gone. I hope the Buddha will hold him in his arms".

Heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog. Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx https://t.co/OlGTm4D9O6

— Andrew Ridgeley (@ajridgeley) December 26, 2016

I just heard about my friend @GeorgeMichael's death. He was such a brilliant talent. I'm so sad.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) December 25, 2016

Unbelievable re George Michael. Played that song today little knowing that it would actually be his Last Christmas. So sad. Gone too soon. pic.twitter.com/oETdHZh9CB

— Eamonn Holmes (@EamonnHolmes) December 25, 2016

I am so desperately sad to hear about the passing of the beautifully talented @GeorgeMichael You inspired so many. RIP George xxxx

— Martine McCutcheon (@martineofficial) December 25, 2016

Is this year over yet? Too many people are passing away. Rest In Peace, George Michael. ☹️

— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 25, 2016

2016 - loss of another talented soul. All our love and sympathy to @GeorgeMichael's family. pic.twitter.com/3h4xqEDXR9

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) December 25, 2016

other than a global pop phenom, George Michael was one of the true British soul greats. alot of us owe him an unpayable debt. bye George xx

— Mark Ronson (@MarkRonson) December 25, 2016

RIP George Michael. I can't believe it. Such an incredible singer and a lovely human being, far too young to leave us #georgemichael

— Bryan Adams (@bryanadams) December 25, 2016

It better not be true bout George Michael

— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) December 25, 2016

R.I.P. George Michael. You inspired many and your music will live on in the hearts of the community. You will be sorely missed x pic.twitter.com/tjXqkArahj

— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) December 25, 2016

The timing of George's death is tinged with an added poignancy. Along with Andrew Ridgley in Wham!, Michael made one of the greatest Christmas singles of all time with ‘Last Christmas’ – which was originally released in 1986.

Wham! had their first hit with ‘Young Guns (Go For It)’ in 1982, which went to No.3 in the UK. Their first British No.1 was the wonderfully effervescent ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ in 1983 – which also topped the charts in the US. That was followed by ‘Careless Whisper’, which was another global smash hit. For the four years that they were active, the duo were extraordinarily successful, selling over 25 million albums.

‘Last Christmas’ was famously kept off the British No.1 slot by the Band Aid single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’, which sold a record 3.5 million copies in the UK. In a remarkable gesture of solidarity, George Michael donated the huge royalties from the Wham! hit to Band Aid.

However, George Michael ultimately wanted to make records aimed at an adult audience and decided to go solo. His debut album, Faith, released in 1987, was a global monster, selling 25 million copies and establishing him is one of the biggest stars of the moment. It contained a number of career defining singles, most notably ‘I Want Your Sex’, ‘Faith’ and 'Father Figure’ – with the latter two providing him with US No.1 singles.

He never scaled quite those heights again, in total sales terms. Nevertheless, except in the US, where his popularity waned, every record he released proved to be box office gold. Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1 (1990), Older (1996) and Patience (2004) all went to No. 1 in the UK, while Songs From The Last Century (1999) reached No.2 before faltering at the final hurdle.

His life outside music was turbulent. In 1998, he was arrested for “engaging in a lewd act” in a public toilet in the Will Rogers Memorial Park, in Beverley Hills, California. Having pleaded ‘no contest’, he was fined and sentenced to 80 hours of community service. It was as a result of this event that he decided to come out unequivocally as gay.

He was in a long term relationship at the time, with his boyfriend Kenny Goss. Later, in 2006, he was ‘papped’ disgracefully by the News of the World, and again accused of cruising for anonymous sex. He won many admirers when he stated with refreshing candour that he did cruise for anonymous sex, and that this was not an issue in his relationship. In Hot Press, as elsewhere, the statement was greeted with a round of applause.

That he had an addictive personality seems clear. He was arrested in possession of drugs on a number of occasions. He was charged with driving under the influence and served four weeks in Highpoint Prison in Surrey, in 2010.

His sense of humour remained intact throughout. Far from expressing shame, he satirised the 1998 public toilet incident in the video for 'Outide' and was sued unsuccessfully by the 'undercover' policeman who had carried out the sting, Marcelo Rodriguez. And he became more political as he got older. He made his opposition to the invasion of Iraq clear in a song that satirised Tony Blair and George W. Bush, ‘Shoot The Dog’. And in 2007, he arranged for the piano on which John Lennon had played ‘Imagine’ to be transported to and displayed at places where high profile acts of violence had taken place.

During 2011, he suffered health problems, including pneumonia, which result in the cancellation of tour dates. He later told reporters that he had had a tracheotomy, and that the staff at Vienna General Hospital had saved his life.

Now, sadly, all that impressive wildness is at an end. Reports on Christmas day confirmed that he had died at his home in Goring, Oxfordshire, in England, of HIV related complications.

George Michael was much decorated as a musician and a songwriter. Among many other honours, he won two Grammy Awards, four Ivor Novello Awards, four MTV Music Video Awards and three Brit Awards. An extraordinarily talented, witty and likeable character, he will be greatly missed for his defiant attitude, as well as his exceptional music.