{"id":279666,"date":"2016-12-26T07:44:54","date_gmt":"2016-12-26T07:44:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=279666"},"modified":"2016-12-26T07:44:54","modified_gmt":"2016-12-26T07:44:54","slug":"george-michael-pop-superstar-dies-at-53","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/12\/george-michael-pop-superstar-dies-at-53\/","title":{"rendered":"George Michael: Pop superstar dies at 53"},"content":{"rendered":"
Singer George Michael has died at his home at the age of 53.<\/p>\n
The star, who launched his career with Wham! in the 1980s and had huge success as a solo performer, “passed away peacefully” on Christmas Day in Goring, Oxfordshire, his publicist said.<\/p>\n
Thames Valley Police say they are treating the death as unexplained but there were no suspicious circumstances.<\/p>\n
Former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley said he was “heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend”.<\/p>\n
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. 4ever loved. A xx”<\/p>\n