George
Michael / Pic: AP Source: The Daily Telegraph
Annette Sharp, The Daily Telegraph, reports
After almost three months out of circulation, British singer George Michael is said to be on the road to recovery following a rumoured two-month stay at a Byron Bay rehab centre.
According to north coast sources, the Wham! star, a frequent Aussie tourist, checked into luxury private retreat The Sanctuary in February to deal with a slate of issues including emotional anxiety and a drug disorder.
The singer was rumoured to be battling a dependency on Valium since undergoing a tracheotomy in 2011 - the surgical remedy to a bout of life-threatening pneumonia that saw doctors put the singer into a medically induced coma for three weeks.
The Sanctuary, reportedly where supermodel Naomi Campbell did a spell in 2006 to overcome her demons, is a $40,000-a-week rehabilitation facility regarded as one of the best in the world.
George's problems with prescription and recreational drugs have made world headlines since 2006.
Michael's Australian-Lebanese boyfriend Fadi Fawaz this week denied he and his partner of 18 months have spent time at a Byron Bay rehab centre together. Fawaz, who returned to London two week ago, confirmed he was recently in the country but said he was here to visit his mother, who lives in Queensland and who had recently had an operation.
Michael, who has been inactive on his social network accounts since January, has gone to ground so effectively in recent months that on March 8 his spokesperson was forced to issue a denial that the 49-year-old had died.
"There is no truth in the rumour circulating on Twitter about George Michael. George Michael is perfectly fine," the statement said.
There has been speculation about Michael's health since he cancelled European and Australian dates for his Symphonica tour in October.
"All I can say at this time is that since last years illness I have tried in vain to work my way through the trauma that the doctors who saved my life warned me I would experience. They recommended complete rest and the type of post-traumatic counselling which is available in cases like mine but I'm afraid I believed (wrongly) that making music and getting out there to perform would be therapy enough in itself.
"I seriously underestimated how difficult this year would be and was wrong to think I could work my way through the major anxiety that has plagued me since December."
He further promised to receive the treatment that was "long overdue".
The owner of The Sanctuary, Michael Goldberg, this week refused to confirm rumours the singer has been in residence at one of the centre's multiple treatment centres, including two dozen leased beachfront private homes and a hinterland estate. The Sanctuary, which opened in 2004 and has been listed in Forbes magazine as one of the world's "Most Luxurious Places to Dry Out", prides itself on being one of the most private and confidential treatment centres in the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment