George Michael post-mortem examination to be held 'in due course'

A post-mortem examination on singer George Michael is yet to be held but will be "undertaken in due course", a coroner's office has said.

The 53-year-old star was found dead at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on Christmas Day.

Michael's publicist said his family and friends had been "touched beyond words" by the "incredible outpouring of love" from fans, adding there were no suspicious circumstances around his death, which was reported to have been caused by heart failure.

Oxfordshire Coroner's Office said a post-mortem examination was still to be carried out but could not say when it would take place or whether an inquest would be held.

It said in a statement: "The death of Mr George Michael has been reported to the Oxfordshire Coroner's Office.

"As with all deaths where the cause of death is not immediately apparent, a post-mortem examination is to be undertaken in due course in order to confirm the cause of death.

"This information is required before the coroner can decide whether there is a need for an inquest. If a natural cause of death is confirmed, there will be no need for an inquest.

"All of this is in accordance with normal procedures and does not imply that there is currently any reason to believe the cause of death is in any way suspicious."

The singer - whose real name was Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou - sold more than 100 million albums throughout his career.

Fadi Fawaz, who began seeing Michael following his split from former long-term partner Kenny Goss, said he found the star dead in bed when he arrived to wake him ahead of a planned Christmas Day lunch.

He described Michael as a "beautiful person" and a "kind and generous man" while Goss said he was devastated at the death, which is being treated by police as "unexplained but not suspicious".

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