London, October 06 : Singer George Michael had come close to a nervous breakdown after his split with partner Kenny Goss, it has emerged.

The ‘Careless Whisper’ hitmaker’s lover had left him after he was arrested for possessing drugs last year.

Michael’s close pals have now revealed that he had become like “a hermit” in his North London mansion after Goss left him.

“Kenny had given George many chances. But after the Hampstead Heath incident he said he couldn’t take any more. Everyone knew George wasn’t just in there to do drugs – the place is well known as a place to pick up men,” the Mirror quoted a pal as saying.

“Despite George saying they had an open relationship, Kenny never agreed with George’s urges to go out cruising for other men, or with his excessive use of cannabis. He is embarrassed by what George had put him through.

“They had been due to marry on their 10th anniversary back in 2006, but Kenny told him it was off unless he changed his ways. But it seems George just couldn’t,” the pal added.

Michael also dismissed his manager later on and had apparently developed an irrational behaviour.

A friend added: “When Kenny left him, George wasn’t in the right frame of mind for anything. He seemed to become really depressed and no one could talk him out of it.

“He had promised to release a Live In London DVD of the tour but he couldn’t get it together to even look at clips of himself. Only now is he starting to get his head around it and is releasing it on December 7 – almost a year later.

“George would get up at 2pm, have a couple of spliffs, and play computer games until 7am, then do it all again the next day.

“His manager Andy couldn’t get through to him. And then he was absolutely furious when he found out he had driven himself to the O2 and got on stage with Beyonce. He tried to confront the star about it but George sacked him.

“George also has all these ideas about going back on the road – but no one knows if his state of mind will take it. The split has hit him hard.” (ANI)