SINGER George Michael has died at the age of 53, his publicist has said.

    The star, who launched his career with Wham! in the 1980s and continued his success as a solo performer, is said to have “passed away peacefully at home” in Goring, Oxfordshire.

    Thames Valley Police say they are treating the death as unexplained but there were no suspicious circumstances.

    His former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley said he was “heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend.”

    Writing on Twitter and referring to Michael as “Yog,” a nickname for “Yours Only George,” he added: “Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large.”

    In a statement, Michael’s publicist said: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.

    “The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.”

    On Instagram, Sir Elton John posted a photograph of himself with Michael, writing: “I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend — the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans.”

    Thames Valley Police said South Central Ambulance Service attended a property in Goring at 13:42 GMT on Christmas Day.

    The force said: “At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

    “A postmortem will be undertaken in due course. There will be no further updates from Thames Valley Police until the postmortem has taken place.”

    A small heart wreath and a rose are among the tributes that have begun to be left outside the front door of Michael’s home, a detached property by the River Thames.

    Michael, who was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in north London, sold more than 100 million albums throughout a career spanning almost four decades.

    He first found fame with his schoolfriend Ridgeley in duo Wham! — reaching number one in the singles charts on four occasions — before going on to release solo albums, including the multimillion selling “Faith” in 1987 and its follow-up “Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1.”

    It outsold “Faith” in the United Kingdom but led to Michael losing a court case with record label Sony over his frustration over how the album has been marketed.

    His talents as a singer, songwriter and music producer made him one of the world’s biggest-selling artists.

    Blessed with good looks and a fine singing voice, his stage presence made him a favorite on the live concert circuit as he matured from teen idol to long-term stardom.

    But there were times when his battle with drugs and encounters with the police made lurid headlines that threatened to eclipse his musical talents.

    As a solo artist, Michael scored a further seven number one singles in the United Kingdom with songs including “Careless Whisper” and “Faith,” and won three Brit Awards and two Grammys.

    Grammy organizers said Michael’s “extraordinary talent had a profound impact on countless entertainers worldwide, and his creative contributions will live on forever.”

    (SD-Agencies)