George Michael died of natural causes – coroner

Pop star George Michael, who was found dead in his UK home in December last year, died of natural causes, a coroner confirmed on Tuesday. (Photo by Insasse (This photo is my own work.) [CC BY-SA 2.5)

The 53-year-old suffered a dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver, Darren Salter, senior coroner for Oxfordshire, said in his report into the “unexplained” death.

Thames Valley Police had said the singer’s death at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire was unexplained but not suspicious and an initial post-mortem examination was “inconclusive”.

The coroner said in a statement: “Inquires into the death of George Michael have been concluded and the final post-mortem report received. As there is a confirmed natural cause of death, being dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver, the investigation is being discontinued and there is no need for an inquest or any further inquiries.”

“No further updates will be provided and the family requests the media and public respect their privacy.”

Dilated cardiomyopathya is a disease that causes the heart muscle to become stretched and thin and unable to pump blood around the body efficiently.

Michael’s partner Fadi Fawaz had found the star dead in bed when he arrived to wake him before a planned Christmas Day lunch in December 2016. He described Michael as a “beautiful person” and a “kind and generous man”.

The “Careless Whisper” and “Last Christmas” singer was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in 1963. He was one of the world’s bestselling pop-stars who sold more than 100 million albums throughout his career, initially as a member of Wham, then as a solo artist.