Singer George Michael has died at the age of 53

George Michael has died at the age of 53 at his home in Goring, Oxfordshire, the BBC reports. British singer who started his musical career as a member of the band Wham! in the 1980s, he gained popularity as a solo artist.

The police of the Tams Valley district reported that the death occurred for unknown reasons, but it is known that it was not accompanied by suspicious circumstances. Michael's former bandmate Andrew Ridgely wrote on Twitter that his heart is broken over the loss of his beloved friend. "Me, his family, his friends, the music world, the world as a whole. Love forever," the musician added.

(14 photos in total)

Source: BBC

George Michael and Andrew Ridgely during the Wham! tour in Japan, 1985.

The incident was reported by George Michael's press secretary. "It is with great regret that we inform you that our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home during the Christmas holidays. The family asks to respect their right to privacy during this difficult and emotionally intense time. There will be no further comments at this stage," the official statement on George Michael's death said.

Photo posted by Elton John (@eltonjohn) Dec 25, 2016 at 3:24 PST

Photo posted by Elton John (@eltonjohn) Dec 25, 2016 at 3:24 PSTSir Elton John, with whom George Michael was friends, posted a photo of them together on Instagram and wrote:

"I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend, the kindest, most noble soul and a wonderful artist. My heart goes out to his family and all his fans."

Presentation of the album of the band Wham! Make It Big and a photo shoot with band members George Michael and Andrew Ridgely in May 1984, when the song Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go topped the charts.

According to police, an ambulance arrived at the house in Goring at 13:42 GMT on December 25. It is reported that an autopsy will be conducted. Mourners have already started leaving wreaths and roses at the door of George Michael's house.

George Michael outside the courthouse on October 18, 1993.

George Michael, whose real name is Yorgos Kyriakos Panayiotou, was born in London on June 25, 1963. During his career, which lasted about forty years, he sold more than 100 million copies of his albums. The singer became famous as part of the duo Wham!, which also included his school friend Andrew Ridgely. The band has repeatedly topped the UK charts. In 1987, George Michael released a solo album Faith, which brought him incredible success. The next album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, sold even more successfully in the UK than Faith, but the singer lost the court to the Sony record label, against which he filed a lawsuit, disagreeing with how the company presented the album on the market.

Concert in Glasgow on September 23, 2012.

His beautiful voice and good looks made George Michael a favorite of live concerts and festivals, but sometimes his drug addiction and problems with the police threatened to overshadow his musical talent.

Concert as part of the Symphonica Tour in Paris on September 9, 2012.

As part of his solo career, George Michael led the British hit parade seven more times with songs such as Careless Whisper and Fastlove, collaborated with such major artists as Aretha Franklin and Elton John, won three Brit Awards and two Grammys.

Concert as part of the Symphonica Tour in Paris on September 9, 2012.

For years, George Michael hid his sexual orientation, but in 1998 he confessed that he was gay after he was arrested in a public toilet in Beverly Hills for illegal actions.

On June 27, 2012, on the set of the White Light video, which also starred British supermodel Kate Moss.

Since the mid-2000s, George Michael has been making headlines for unpleasant reasons. In October 2006, he pleaded guilty to charges of driving under the influence of drugs, and in 2008, hard drugs, including crack cocaine, were found in his possession. In September 2010, the singer was sentenced to eight weeks in prison after an incident during which he crashed his Range Rover into a store in north London. George Michael then confessed to drunk driving and possession of cannabis.

George Michael and Elton John.

In 2011, George Michael postponed a series of concerts after he was hospitalized with pneumonia. Doctors performed a tracheoctomy on the singer to unblock his airways, as he was unconscious and could not breathe.

Concert as part of the 25 Live Tour at Madison Square Garden, New York, July 21, 2008.

The premiere of a documentary about George Michael Freedom ("Freedom") was scheduled for March 2017.

Wham! in France.

On April 22, 2006, George Michael took part in a talk show on British television.

Performance of the band Wham! in 1983.

George Michael and Freddie Mercury in 1989.