Drugs/Therapy

Celebrity Deaths By Drug Overdose: British Reports Claim That “Last Christmas” Singer George Michael Battled Heroin Addiction

By Ed Saludes | Update Date: Dec 28, 2016 03:11 PM EST

British pop singer George Michael died in his sleep on Christmas morning, with heart failure as the official cause of his shocking demise. The music recording industry has lost an icon whose career started with the 80s British pop duo Wham! However, several publications in Britain speculated that the singer's death was due to spiraling heroin addiction and other health problems.

An unnamed source revealed to The Telegraph that George Michael had been rushed to A&E on several occasions for drug overdose. The source told the British daily that the music artist used heroin. The source added that "I think it's amazing he's lasted as long as he has."

Following the death of the "Last Christmas" singer, Michael's manager Michael Lipman announced that the 53-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest, which is common amongst those who have used heroin. Michael's lawyers denied the claims that he was battling heroin addiction. Official reports from police describe circumstances to his death as "unexplained but suspicious".

Michael's lifeless body was found by his long-time boyfriend and celebrity hairdresser Fadi Fawaz inside the "Careless Whisper" singer's home at Goring-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, England. According to Fawaz, they were scheduled to have a Christmas lunch.

Six months ago, American singer Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose. Prince and George Michael join a lengthy list of celebrities whose deaths are linked to substance addiction.

In 2009, pop icon Michael Jackson died due to acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. Three years after, RNB singer and actress Whitney Houston was found dead due to heart disease and cocaine addiction. A year before Jackson's death, Australian actor and Oscar winner Heath Ledger was found lifeless in his New York apartment due to acute intoxication from oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine.

Other celebrities whose deaths were attributed to heroin addiction and overdose include American actors John Belushi, River Phoenix and Philip Seymour-Hoffman and rock legend Janis Joplin.

The video below reports on George Michael's death. Share your thoughts on the article in the comment section.

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