George was so optimistic.. the best was yet to come
GEORGE Michael told Kirsty Young he was working on what would be his “best thing ever” when he gave his final interview.
The pop legend recruited Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty to pose the questions for Freedom, a documentary about his life and career.
Kirsty, 49, said: “He was optimistic and in the moment. He said to me that he felt the thing that he would do next would be his best thing ever.”
On Christmas Day, 2016, weeks after Kirsty had interviewed George at his home in Goring-upon-Thames, Oxon, he was found dead from natural causes at the house, aged 53. The Freedom documentary was screened on Channel 4 the following October. Kirsty said: “When I spoke to George, the future was in front of him. “There was something on the horizon. He was talking about something new.
“George hinted about new projects, but refused to give details.
“I think he was starting to write again. I presumed it was an album, but he did not specify about that or talk about touring.”
Speaking as Desert Island Discs was named the Podcast of the Year at the TRIC awards, Kirsty said: “When we had finished recording we went out to his garden and he was talking about his plans for replanting here and how he was going to do a bit there.
“He was chatting and we were having a glass of wine. I didn’t have any sense in which he was lonely. He had friends around the day I spoke to him. “I was obviously not aware this was going to be the last interview. With hindsight it would have been a different interview.”