George Michael documentary deemed 'mucky voyeurism' by Wham! bandmate

Previously unseen interview footage of George Michael discussing his sexuality has been released as part of a Channel 5 documentary.

The Last Days of George Michael aired last night showing a clip from a 2008 interview in which the late pop star spoke candidly about his life.

On his sexuality, he declared: ‘I am seriously not prepared to defend my community against the misunderstanding of straight people. This is the reality of my life and you might not understand why it makes me so happy.

“In the present day, my sexuality has been made more of than my music. In the future, this stuff will be gone.”

The decision to air the programme before the star’s funeral service expected to take place in the next few days has already been criticised, most notably by George’s former Wham! Bandmate Andrew Ridgeley who has deemed it ‘mucky’.

The 54-year-old tweeted to the network: “To conceive such a sensationalist & mucky piece of voyeurism may be par for the course for you, the decision to air before George Michael’s funeral is insensitive, contemptuous & reprehensible.

“You might have the had decency to schedule post funeral and after a respectful period.”

A Channel 5 rep told Mirror Celebs: “George Michael was a high profile public figure and there has been legitimate public interest in the circumstances surrounding his death, which have already been widely reported across the news media.

“The Last Days of George Michael is a measured account of the days preceding his death in December and of his musical career and his personal life, including his philanthropy, based on contributions from those who knew him and reported on him over many decades.”

George passed away at his home in Goring-on-Thames on Christmas Day aged 53.