Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Let us say a proper goodbye to George
STARS and fans alike today join forces to back a Sunday Mirror campaign demanding a proper farewell to pop legend George Michael.
Our call comes days after the singer was finally laid to rest – and as we can reveal that his former lovers, Kenny Goss and Fadi Fawaz, had been united in grief.
They shared an embrace at last Wednesday’s funeral, displaying a love for George that is echoed across the country and the entire world of pop.
Their solidarity chimes perfectly with our call for a star-studded concert to mark George’s amazing career.
Fans reeled when he was found dead at home on Christmas Day aged just 53.
TV’s Dame Esther Rantzen – former That’s Life host and one of George’s great charity friends – later revealed plans for a tribute. But discussions have stalled as she waits to approach George’s family to give their blessing. Last night a string of stars backed our call for a tribute – possibly at the Royal Albert Hall in October.
Sir Bob Geldof, who enlisted George to sing for Band Aid and Live Aid, hinted he would like to play a part in the concert, telling the Sunday Mirror: “When I get a call, I will speak to the people involved.”
Simon Cowell is also expected to be involved. A source told us: “There are lots of people that want this to happen so George can get the send-off he deserves.”
BRILLIANT
Music guru Professor Jonathan Shalit, who manages the likes of Pixie Lott and Louisa Johnson, said: “I think it is a brilliant idea and it is much deserved.
“I remember George Michael being a central feature at the Freddie Mercury memorial concert at Wembley.
“He was a key part of that concert. And now people would like to grieve for him. He has been one of the most important artists in the world for 35 years.
“I would think that there will be hundreds of artists who would be involved from all around the world. Everyone loved George – the consummate artist.”
Childline founder Esther, 76, told us: “It is still on the cards and we are still hoping it will happen, but we haven’t approached his family yet – we don’t want to be insensitive and we have been waiting for the right time.
“He was so extraordinary in his generosity to Childline – he absolutely got our vision – and we would love to be able to pay tribute to him in our 30th year. The idea we have at the moment is for the group of charities he supported to join together for the concert. That’s our hope. It would be a tremendous way of fundraising in his memory.”
George secretly pledged £2million to Childline in royalties from his 1996 hit Jesus To A Child, written as he grieved over the death of lover Anselmo Feleppa.
He also raised money for a string of other charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support and Terrence Higgins Trust.
George’s old flame Kenny Goss, 58,
runs the Goss-Michael Foundation, a prolific charity which helps young and struggling artists. Kenny had continued to support George despite their split after 13 years in 2009.
And at George’s funeral last week he is believed to have reached out to Fadi Fawaz, who was the last person to see the star alive at his home in Goring-onThames, Oxfordshire.
Fadi, 43, has told how he slept in his car on Christmas Eve and found George dead in bed the next day. Amid rumoured tension with George’s family, Fadi recently said he was being kept in the dark about the ceremony. But a source revealed: “It was Kenny that invited Fadi and reinstated the trust between them.
CLOSE
“They appeared close at the funeral and were both supporting one another.”
Contrary to reports, Fadi was in touch with George’s sister Melanie Panayiotou, 55, who organised the funeral at Highgate cemetery in North London. The emotional farewell was an hour long and included tributes from George’s Wham! co-star Andrew Ridgeley, 54, and Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp, 55 – whose wife Shirlie, 54, sang with Wham!
George was then laid to rest in a family plot next to his beloved mum Lesley, who died of cancer in 1997 aged 60.
The singer is buried in a section of the cemetery only accessible as part of a 70-minute guided tour costing £12.
But visitors will not be given access to his grave over fears it could become overrun with grieving fans leaving tributes. His plot – a stone’s throw from where painter Lucian Freud is buried – is currently hidden from view by green barriers.
While heartbroken Fadi didn’t attend the private wake at George’s Highgate home he is believed to have met up with Kenny later. The source added: “Melanie had
been in touch with Fadi and spoken to him about the funeral. He didn’t go to the wake but Kenny reached out to him and they met up afterwards. They both shared their lives with George and had lots in common in that sense.
“They are both grieving and were looking out for each other on the day.”
George’s sister Melanie is the executor of his will which is expected to be read this week. She could be in line to receive up to £50million of the pop icon’s estate. His elder sister Yioda Panayiotou, 57, is also expected to receive a large sum.
Yesterday Fadi was seen leaving George’s home in Regent’s Park, London, telling reporters: “You know the truth.”
It took until three weeks ago for the coroner to announce George died of natural causes including dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood.
He was also suffering from a fatty liver.
IT is understandable that George Michael’s family don’t want his grave to become a tourist attraction.
It is also understandable that they need time to grieve before thinking about the future.
But fans of the iconic singer are also grieving, and it is only right they too are able to pay their respects.
After all, George would have wanted their feelings considered too.
There is no finer way to do that than to plan for a memorial concert in his name.