Unseen George Michael photos on show at exhibition

A new exhibition featuring previously unseen photographs of George Michael has opened.

Folkestone-based photographer Brian Aris, who has worked with other stars such as Queen, The Rolling Stones and Debbie Harry, is releasing the exhibition in East Sussex alongside his new book "Celebrating George", which documents the pop icons's life and their meetings.

Aris said the Wham! singer, who died in 2016, never "acted like a superstar" with him, describing him as a "very modest and kind man".

"I always really enjoyed working with George," he said. "It was very heartbreaking for him to pass."

Aris first met George Michael when he photographed him and his Wham! colleague Andrew Ridgeley in 1984.

Despite Michael's dislike for having his photo taken, he and Aris went on to work together for three decades.

The star was also an active LGBT rights campaigner and HIV charity fundraiser, and he would anonymously support numerous charities, which only came to light after he died.

Aris said: "How amazing was that, that he didn't shout from the rooftops about it and did an enormous amount of good?"

Celebrating George is on display at the Lucy Bell Gallery, St Leonards, until 2 May.

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