GEORGE MICHAEL: THE LIFE OF A POP ICON
George Michael has died aged 53, he rose to fame with Wham! before becoming an international pop star
George Michael was born in East Finchley, London, on June 25, 1963.
He was the son of Greek Cypriot restaurateur Kyriacos Panayiotou, who moved to England in the 1950s.
Michael first attended Kingsbury High School in north London. His mother, Lesley Angold, was an English dancer.
When he was a teenager, his family moved to Hertfordshire, an affluent village called Radlett just north east of Watford.
It was there where he met Wham! partner and guitarist Andrew Ridgeley after he joined Bushey Meads School in Bushey.
As their relationship grew, it was clear that the pair wanted to be famous musicians and Michael starting busking on the London Underground.
He would sing songs, including Queen's '39' and then he started working as a DJ.
The singer went on to perform at small venues in Watford, Stanmore and Bushey.
He then formed the ska band, The Executive with Ridgeley and Ridgeley's brother Paul, Andrew Leaver and David Mortimer.
Michael then started Wham! with Ridgeley in 1981 and their debut album, Fantastic, reached number one in the UK two years later.
Their second album, Make It Big – which included 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-GO' - reached number one in the US.
He sang on the original Band Air recording of 'Do They Know It's Christmas' – which later became the UK Christmas number one.
In 1986, Wham! separated.
Just one year later he launched his own solo career and kicked it off with a duet with star Aretha Franklin.
He went on to release seven solo albums – from Faith in 1987 to Symphonica in 2014.
'But I also remember experiencing incredible guilt for my family and friends, because they literally spent weeks not knowing whether I was going to make it.
'Now, if that had happened to me in reverse, if I’d had to watch one of my sisters go through that, well... it would have devastated me.
'For most of the time, though, I was pretty much out of it, so I didn’t realise the danger I was in until after I’d come out the other side.’
Celebrity fans have taken to Twitter to convey their grief over the loss of Michael.
Ricky Gervais, who cast Michael in an episode of his sitcom Extras, wrote: 'Unbelievable. RIP George Michael.'
While Gary Lineker posted: 'No, not George Michael as well. Another musical great leaves us this year. 2016 can just sod off. #RIPGeorge'
Electro-pop star Gary Numan tweeted: 'Oh no. George Michael RIP.'
Alison Moyet, who performed at Live Aid in 1985 on the same bill as Michael, said: 'I met George Michael a few times & he was ever a gentle, unassuming soul. A rare presence in a world full of self. Honest, genuine talent.'
The official account of eighties pop group Duran Duran also paid their respects by tweeting: '2016 - loss of another talented soul. All our love and sympathy to @GeorgeMichael's family.'
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