Who was George Michael’s sister Melanie Panayiotou and how did she die?
GEORGE Michael’s sister Melanie Panayiotou has passed away, three years to the day that George Michael died. Melanie Panayiotou died aged 55 and was found by her older sister Yioda at her home in North London. Who was Melanie Panayiotou? Melanie Panayiotou was a hairdresser and the sister of the late popstar George Michael. George […]
GEORGE Michael’s sister Melanie Panayiotou has passed away, three years to the day that George Michael died.
Melanie Panayiotou died aged 55 and was found by her older sister Yioda at her home in North London.
![George Michael with sister Melanie Panayiotou at a party in the early 1980s](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/NINTCHDBPICT000308437396.jpg?strip=all&w=955)
Who was Melanie Panayiotou?
Melanie Panayiotou was a hairdresser and the sister of the late popstar George Michael.
George and Melanie were very close and she often joined him on tour.
Her last public appearance came last month she spoke about the film Last Christmas, which focused on her bother’s music.
She said: “As many of you know, Yog adored Christmas and he loved the idea of this film. I am sure he will be enjoying seeing Emilia [Clarke]’s amazing light bulb smile, something they share, across the celestial miles!
“And, most importantly, we all, together with our dear departed Yog (my “very proud to be gay” brother — contrary to what you may have read recently!) wish a very merry, merry Christmas to Big Issue sellers and readers alike.”
How did Melanie Panayiotou die?
It is understood Melanie had suffered a short illness before she passed away in hospital on Christmas Day.
Yioda called 999 and an ambulance attended.
Police were called as a matter of routine and established there were no suspicious circumstances.
They then said that the matter is not being treated as “suspicious”.
Melanie’s family have asked for “privacy” in a statement through their lawyer, John Reid.
Mr Reid said: “We can confirm that very tragically Melanie has passed away suddenly.
“We would simply ask that the family’ s privacy be respected at this very sad time.”
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When did George Michael die?
Music icon George died aged 53, of natural causes at home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on December 25 2016.
An inquest later revealed he had died from heart failure and liver disease.
George Michael was found dead in bed in his Oxfordshire home on Christmas Day 2016 by his boyfriend Fadi Fawaz.
The celebrity hairstylist said: “We were supposed to be going for Christmas lunch. I went round there to wake him up and he was just gone, lying peacefully in bed.
“We don’t know what happened yet. Everything had been very complicated recently, but George was looking forward to Christmas, and so was I.”
The Wham! singer had a successful solo career and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
The star had seven number one singles in the UK and enjoyed collaborations with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Sir Elton John and Queen, after the death of Freddie Mercury.