They've just announced on Sky News that he died of 'heart failure'. That's the first mention I've heard of his actual cause of death.

Speaking of looks, the BB article said how the girls would fawn over Michael because of his good looks, but I didn't think he looked that great, but then they had a photo of him when he first started out all those years ago, and he looked a whole lot better, and no wonder the females had a thing re him! Pity he changed his style. Saw Andrew too and he was very fresh faced.

Right, thanks for saying, as I thought there would have been something. Working too hard on that new album of his.

AFAIK, "heart failure" is something suffered by the living that you have to take medication for. Basically it means that your heart isn't up to task. I would have thought "cardiac arrest" would be the cited cause of death for somebody who was suffering with heart failure and consequently died.

I wonder how long he'd been suffering with that, if that's the case. You can live for quite a while with heart failure before it becomes terminal, I thought.

YW, Dix. Just thinking, surely 'heart failure' applies to every death though - as ultimately it stops beating, even if due to other factors? Not saying this is the case though.

You're mistaking the effect of death for the cause of death.

My idol since 1982. Saw Wham in concert in 1983. I have been listening to George a lot in recent weeks, especially his masterpiece Listen Without Prejudice album. Been watching all his old videos over the past week too, so he's been on my mind a lot. This makes the news of his death even harder for me as it's not like it's an artist I used to like years ago but didn't care about so much anymore. I adored him as much as ever and loved his 00's work as much as his 80's and 90's work. A phenomenal singer and songwriter and incredibly charismatic man. I'm just in complete shock. Feels like a sick joke. RIP wonderful George. A beautiful man, inside and out.

The severe pneumonia he suffered in 2011 probably weakened his lungs. Could it have damaged his heart in someway too?

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Well, the weaker your lungs are the harder your heart has to work, but that doesn't necessarily lead to heart failure.

I apologise in advance because I haven't read the thread properly.

I remember the impact of 'Young Guns' way back when. I loved GM and Wham! and when he went solo with 'Faith; I was a true follower.

Over the years, people would ask me why I was still single: .I would smile and say that GM was still to realise that I was the one for him..

I actually can't believe that he is dead, yes, I'd heard the rumours but still I had faith.

To be honest, I don't think that a celebrity death has affected me more than this. He represented hope, fun,sadness and so much more...

I truly hope that he has found peace in the - something that I don't think he had in this life.

How is it ridiculous ?

Because of the sheer number of celebrities that have died this year. You just want to find someone to say "look, just stop already"

I liked the Wham era best, 1982-86. Simple unpretentious pop that was part of the background to my teenage years. RIP George.

Surely it's fitting and not ironic at all? If the song was called First Christmas or Next Christmas then it would be ironic.

Wham - sorry - another public figure is gone.

Wonder which public figure is going to be next, as we still have six days left till 2016 is gone?

I can't believe the news.

What a bummer.

For people of a certain age, George was an earlyepitome of having it all. The looks, the voice, the glamour and the girls. Even when some of the wheels started to come off, he still seemed to be having a good life and one that, by rights, he should have gone on enjoying for another thirty years or so.

No-one should wake up dead at 53, but it is more poignant when you have provided some portion of the feelgood soundtrack of many people's lives.

Just switch on news this morning, what a shock, another icon from my teens years have gone, please get this year over quick. R.I.P

I don't think many people do 'wake up' dead.

Heart failure causes fluid build up on the lungs - it's one of the main effects of the condition. As heart failure is a chronic condition, which people have for a long time before dying from it, he will probably have had it in 2011, so the fluid in his lungs may have caused the pneumonia?

Why? Do you think nobody famous is going to die in 2017?

RIP George, much too young 😢

Like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, I don't find it that unsurprising he's gone in his 50's.

He'd admitted to using crack in the past, was rumoured to be addicted to it fairly recently, was a heavy user of cannabis, smoked heavily etc. When you're worth 100's of millions and therefore can do what you want all day. In addition to mixing substances regularly, way past your youth. It's a lethal combo.

Woke up put the news on and saw the very sad news one of my ikons has sadly passed away grew up with wham only last week we were playing whams hits cd in the car singing along to every song he has left so many many brilliant songs ,gutted