George Michael sister dead on Xmas Day
Family hit by tragedy exactly 3 years after Wham! star’s death at his home
GEORGE Michael’s sister died on Christmas Day, exactly three years after the Wham! star’s death.
Melanie Panayiotou, 59, was found in his old home, where she was living.
A source said: “They were very close, it has been tough the last three years.”
THE tragic death of George Michael’s sister at the age of 59 is a devastating blow to a family repeatedly rocked by tragedy.
Hairdresser Melanie Panayiotou was found in the home where George once lived, on December 25. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Exactly three years ago to the day, singer George had been found dead aged 53, in another of his homes.
A music insider said that Melanie had never recovered from losing her beloved baby brother.
The source said: “You never completely get over the death of a younger sibling. Melanie and George were very close so it has been tough in the last three years.
“This is terrible news and extremely sad for her sister and father, especially at the same time as when George died.” And George had spoken of how deeply the death of their mum Lesley, who died from cancer aged 60 in 1997, had affected him. Melanie travelled the world with George at the height of his Wham! fame, acting as his personal hairdresser. As the singer became increasingly reclusive later in life, she was one of the few people to see him regularly. George left the bulk of his estate to her and their eldest sister Yioda, 61.
It is thought Melanie and Yioda were planning to spend some of the festive period together before tragedy struck. A
family member is believed to have called 999 at around 7.30pm after discovering Melanie’s body at the house in North-West London.
Melanie, Yioda, 61, dad Kyriacos, known as Jack, and George’s manager David Austin had put a statement on George’s website on December 23, suggesting they were still struggling to come to terms with his death.
Calling George by his family nickname of Yog, they said fans’ messages “lift us when things are tough”.
And they said they “will be swerving the bad and enjoying the good as much as we can this coming year”, saying 2019 had been “difficult and busy” for George’s team.
They added: “We are staying as positive as possible, which is what we and Yog would wish for you.”
George’s Wham! bandmate, Andrew Ridgeley, said he was devastated to hear of Melanie’s death. He wrote on
Twitter: “Utterly tragic news of Mel Panayiotou’s passing. My thoughts are with her sister and father at this desperately sad time.”
The news will also come as a blow to George’s millions of fans.
In their December 23 statement the family said they had “come to fully appreciate how much love there is out there for Yog and his beautiful music.”
It added: “We know how much his lyrics can offer support when things are tough and help celebrate when times are good and life is going well.
“And that is just as powerful now as if he were still with us.
“It seems important that his generosity of spirit and natural empathy have touched you in a way that would have him embarrassed.
“All your kind words are really good to hear and we know you have always known his true heart.”
They also thanked fans for embracing the recent film Last Christmas, inspired by George’s music. “[It] is going to be there to celebrate and remember Yog and his music well into the future,” the statement said.
“We’ll close by saying, don’t forget to say your ‘I Love Yous’ and enjoy your celebrations. Thank you so much for your kind messages, they lift us when things are tough.”
In last month’s edition of The Big Issue, Melanie also spoke about her hopes for the movie which woven had beautifully “Yog’s music into this fun, easy tale of love and self-love.”
She said: “As many of you know, Yog adored Christmas and he loved the idea of this film. I am sure he will be enjoying seeing Emilia [Clarke]’s amazing lightbulb smile, something they share, across the celestial miles.”
George’s death from fatty liver diseases at his house in Goring-on-Thames, Oxon, was attributed to “natural causes” at an inquest. Melanie was the one to break the news he had died to Ridgeley.
She hosted the wake at George’s home in Highgate, North London, after he was buried next to his mum in the local cemetery in March 2017. Tony Parsons, who co-authored George’s biography, believes mum Lesley’s death contributed to the troubled singer’s increasingly heavy drug-use before he died. In 2017 he wrote: “George got so much from Lesley. His stability, his instinctive kindness, his quiet determination. Then in 1997 she was gone – and George’s life would never be so sweet again.
“A year after Lesley’s death, George and I sat by an open fire in the middle of winter and George casually mentioned that he was now smoking 25 spliffs of cannabis every day.”
Lawyer John Reid, who acts for George’s family and estate, confirmed yesterday Melanie had died.
“We ask that the family’s privacy be respected at this very sad time,” he said in a statement
A spokesman for London Ambulance service said: “We were called on Christmas Day to an address in North-West London.
“Sadly, the patient had died. We then called the Metropolitan Police.”
The police added: “The death is not being treated as suspicious by police.”