| George
Michael has said he is to take legal action against a man who
claimed he had a gay encounter with the singer.
Allegations of "cruising"
on London's Hampstead Heath were printed in the News of the
World, but Michael said he would not sue the paper or its owner.
He does plan to sue
photographers for harassment, however, and denied calling off a
civil ceremony with his partner.
But he admitted seeking
"anonymous and no-strings sex" at what he described as
"the best cruising ground in London".
Michael, 43, told BBC
News 24: "I'm suing the individual involved who I have
never, ever seen, let alone wanted to have any kind of sexual
encounter with, and I'm currently investigating suing the
secondary sources of libel."
He claimed those sources
had added to "Rupert Murdoch's story" by saying his
long-term partner Kenny Goss had called off their civil
partnership ceremony - but when he had received £1 million, he
had reconsidered holding the event.
"These are things
that are not really acceptable," Michael said.
However, he said he was
not prepared to sue the News of the World or Mr Murdoch.
"I'm not talking
about money, I'm talking about [whether] you want to be
destroyed."
'Little bit strange'
He said he was taking
legal action against the photographers "because they're
harassing me and I should not have to worry about who's watching
me at 2.30 in the morning".
He said he was "sick"
of coverage of his private life.
"I have done nothing
this year against the law, I've done nothing to encourage talk
about my sex life.
"The question is not
whether I bring it to the public, but it is why do I have to
defend it in public because I don't want to talk about it at
all."
Regarding his nocturnal
activities in north London, he said: "I don't know anybody
who actually goes to Hampstead Heath at two o'clock in the
morning for anything other than the reason of playing about with
another member of the human race.
"If they are there,
then they are a little bit strange or they just don't know the
local area."
He went on: "A very
large part of the male population, gay or straight, totally
understands the idea of anonymous and no-strings sex.
"The fact that I
choose to do that on a warm night in the best cruising ground in
London - which happens to be about half a mile from my home - I
don't think would be that shocking to that many gay
people," he said.
"Until such time as
the straight world is not attacking people for cruising, I'd say
the gay world could actually keep that to themselves, just for a
little bit longer."
Michael's problems with
the law include being cautioned by police in March for
possessing cannabis following his arrest in London's West End in
February.
He had been found by
police asleep at the wheel of his car.
In 1998 he was arrested
in a public toilet in Los Angeles after attempting to solicit an
undercover police officer.
His conviction for lewd
conduct resulted in a $450 (£270) fine and 80 hours of
community service.
|
