George Michael has revealed it was 'touch and go' as to whether he would survive his battle with pneumonia.
The 48-year-old singer is back in the UK after overcoming the life-threatening illness and held a press conference outside his north London home today (23.12.11) admitting he came close to death while at the AKH hospital in Vienna, Austria, and revealing doctors spent "three weeks keeping him alive".
The Fast Love singer said: "I'd say it was touch and go for a few weeks. And I played it down, I didn't want to worry my fans too much and I'm really sorry that I couldn't contact them in any way before now, but I was in no state to."
The musician paid tribute the medial team at the hospital admitting they are the reason he is still here.
He said: "It was basically by far the worst month of my life, but I'm incredibly, incredibly, fortunate to be here and fortunate to have picked up this bug where I did, because apparently the hospital in Austria where they rushed me to was absolutely the best place in the world I could have been. So I have to believe that somebody still thinks I've got some work to do here."
George had to cancel all the remaining dates on his Symphonica Tour after being hospitalised but he intends to go back on the road when he is well enough and play all the shows.
He is also going to play a special private concert for the medical team to say thank you for 'saving his life'.
Holding back tears, the emotional star explained: "Without question the plan is to play to absolutely every person who had a ticket, and also actually I would like to play one other show for the doctors in the hospital in Austria who saved my life, because I've spent the last 10 days since I woke up thanking people for saving my life, which is something I've never had to do before and never want to do again."
George - who was supported throughout his ordeal by his boyfriend Fadi Fawaz, ex-partner Kenny Goss and 75-year-old father Kyriacos Panayiotou and older sisters Melanie and Yioda - also revealed the experience had reaffirmed his faith in God.
When asked what had kept him going, he said: "My family, the thought of all the people I still have to play to, the fact that I have been so lucky and the fact that I still have plenty to live for. I have an amazing, amazing, life and if I wasn't spiritual enough before the last four or five weeks, I certainly am now."
The 48-year-old singer is back in the UK after overcoming the life-threatening illness and held a press conference outside his north London home today (23.12.11) admitting he came close to death while at the AKH hospital in Vienna, Austria, and revealing doctors spent "three weeks keeping him alive".
The Fast Love singer said: "I'd say it was touch and go for a few weeks. And I played it down, I didn't want to worry my fans too much and I'm really sorry that I couldn't contact them in any way before now, but I was in no state to."
The musician paid tribute the medial team at the hospital admitting they are the reason he is still here.
He said: "It was basically by far the worst month of my life, but I'm incredibly, incredibly, fortunate to be here and fortunate to have picked up this bug where I did, because apparently the hospital in Austria where they rushed me to was absolutely the best place in the world I could have been. So I have to believe that somebody still thinks I've got some work to do here."
George had to cancel all the remaining dates on his Symphonica Tour after being hospitalised but he intends to go back on the road when he is well enough and play all the shows.
He is also going to play a special private concert for the medical team to say thank you for 'saving his life'.
Holding back tears, the emotional star explained: "Without question the plan is to play to absolutely every person who had a ticket, and also actually I would like to play one other show for the doctors in the hospital in Austria who saved my life, because I've spent the last 10 days since I woke up thanking people for saving my life, which is something I've never had to do before and never want to do again."
George - who was supported throughout his ordeal by his boyfriend Fadi Fawaz, ex-partner Kenny Goss and 75-year-old father Kyriacos Panayiotou and older sisters Melanie and Yioda - also revealed the experience had reaffirmed his faith in God.
When asked what had kept him going, he said: "My family, the thought of all the people I still have to play to, the fact that I have been so lucky and the fact that I still have plenty to live for. I have an amazing, amazing, life and if I wasn't spiritual enough before the last four or five weeks, I certainly am now."
