George Michael has defended his performance at the OIympic Closing Ceremony in robust fashion (LANGUAGE WARNING FOR WHAT FOLLOWS), saying it was to thank his fans for all their "loyalty and prayers".
The singer performed two songs in the Olympic stadium on Sunday night, his first public performance since a bout of pneumonia last year stymied his tour and kept him in hospital in Austria.
The first was a well-received version of his classic hit Freedom 90, but his second choice has proved more contentious - his new single White Light, released coincidentally on the same day as the concert. Read one example here...
But the star is furious that this is being seen as an ill-timed plug of his new material by some...
It wasn't just the press, however, with the Twitterati weighing in on Sunday night, to voice their dismay, for example...
We'll leave the last word to George. In the words (sort of) of Edith Piaf, he can only say...