Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Tragic singer’s last TV interview
GEORGE Michael will speak about his first boyfriend’s death in his last ever interview as part of a Channel 4 documentary on the tragic star.
Brazilian Anselmo Feleppa died of an “Aids-related illness” in 1993. The show, called Freedom, will focus on five years of George’s life in the 90s, when he fell for the dress designer after meeting him in a hotel lobby.
A source who has seen the documentary, which airs around the re-release of the album Listen Without Prejudice on October 20, said: “George speaks very movingly about Anselmo being the first love of his life and how important he was in his life.
“It is very emotional and he clearly never forgot him... [he] left a huge impression on George.”
The Wham singer, who was 27 when he met older Anselmo, has previously said he knew within six months his new partner was terminally ill. He told Desert Island Discs host Kirsty Young in 2007: “It was a very strange first love. It was very distorted by the situation. This was the first love of my entire life.
“It was tragic that I lost him, but it was a wonderful experience meeting him. There have only been three times I’ve really fallen for anyone. And each time, on first sight, something has clicked that told me I was going to know that person. It happened with Anselmo across a lobby.”
George said he believed his lover picked up Aids in New York. He wrote the No1 single, Jesus to a Child, in tribute to him.
In the documentary which George narrates, he also speaks about his 90s court battle with Sony. He later re-signed with the music giant.
A Sony spokesman said: “This documentary will be a must-watch for fans as it was his last piece of work.”
George’s final lover Fadi Fawaz and former partner Kenny Goss do not feature in the documentary.