Last night, a special Michael Parkinson show was devoted entirely to George Michael, during which he gave his first personal account of his arrest, last April, to UK viewers.

He, very neatly, opened the interview by telling Parky that his late mother, a big fan of his chat show, would have been proud to see her son as a guest - but none too pleased that 'getting his willy out' was the reason he was there. A large part of the interview was devoted to the circumstances of his arrest and his subsequent handling of the humiliating experience. Defending his actions at the time, and describing the 'set up', he made a very strong point that a very good looking young man had walked up to him "waving his genitals", and that he ("randy and slightly pissed"), had responded accordingly. "They didn't send in Columbo!," he joked.

George described the 'set up' as being "very well done", but he was of the opinion that the policeman involved did not know who he was 'trapping'. He did, however, believe that whoever sent him in, did know, and that the paparazzi were very likely to have been involved.

George also added that he'd had no problem with his family and friends over the incident but that his live-in boyfriend had "not been amused". In a passing accolade to his ex-Wham! partner, Andrew Ridgely, he admitted that without Andrew it is unlikely that he would be where he is today. However, he did confess that, whilst he looks back on Wham! with fondness, he does have a problem watching the hamminess of it.

During the show, George gave two, sterling, performances - 'A Different Corner', which he hasn't sung for 11 years and descibed as "the first song I wrote as a solo artist," and his latest single, 'Outside'.