George Michael's cause of death has yet to be revealed, but the singer's childhood friend has his own ideas on how the singer died. Appearing on BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme, Andros Georgiou said the star had started taking "hard drugs" in the days leading up to his death after being "dragged back into the dark side".

The Last Christmas hitmaker was found dead at his Oxfordshire home on Christmas Day by his partner, Fadi Fawaz . Although the 53-year-old's agent claimed he died from heart failure, a post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be "inconclusive" and results of further test are yet to be made public.

More from IBTimes UK

Addressing rumours that Michael's unexplained death was suicide, Georgiou – who has also been reported as the singer's cousin, in various reports – said that, while the 53-year-old may have had mental health issues, he did not kill himself. He said: "I believe he had suicidal thoughts, because his mental health was all over the place. But I don't believe this was suicide."

Georgiou, who became estranged from Michael in 1998, said that he likely consumed a lethal cocktail of drugs and alcohol and it was an accidental drugs overdose that eventually took his life.

"I just think he took too much of something, mixed with antidepressants and other drugs he was on – with alcohol," Georgiou said. "I think his heart just stopped beating."

Georgiou said that, despite best efforts to beat his demons, crack cocaine was one of the late musician's "favourite drugs", saying he was determined "to get to the truth of what happened, exactly what was in his blood at the time, who gave it [the drugs] to him, why did he have it again".

Hours earlier, Georgiou – who grow up with the entertainer and considered him family – broke his silence in a scathing Facebook rant directed at Fawaz. In a series of posts, the former music producer raised questions about the celebrity hairdresser's whereabouts and also slammed Fawaz's alleged tweet which said Michael had attempted suicide a number of times before his death.

"One thing is for sure this was not an act of suicide," he wrote. "If I was around this would never [have] happened and I have to live with that the rest of my life... I have to pray that the police come to the conclusion I have and justice will be served."

Meanwhile, police investigating the Careless Whisper hitmaker's death are keen to speak to "mystery visitors" seen at his Oxfordshire home in his final days in order to build a picture of his days leading to his death.

A source told the Mirror: "There are still vehicles that were near the property which the police are trying to trace the owners of. The police will take as long as they need to. The aim for them is to get an accurate picture as possible of George's final days."