George Michael memorabilia sparks family row at auction

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 29 Oct, 09:32 · Archive

George Michael memorabilia including the guitar from his Faith video is being auctioned by the estranged husband of his late personal assistant.

A family dispute has broken out over the auction of George Michael memorabilia on Thursday. The guitar used in Michael's Faith music video is among 32 lots from the collection of Siobhan Bailey, the singer's long-time personal assistant. The Daily Mail reports the guitar is expected to sell for £120,000. Other items include signed photographs inscribed to Siobhan, Michael's running order for Live Aid and an annotated itinerary from Wham!'s 1985 China tour.

Siobhan died in 2014 and the items are being sold by her estranged husband Ian Belcher, who inherited them after her death. Gerard Bailey, her brother, told the BBC she 'would be horrified at the prospect of the auction being held in her name and that her personal, cherished possessions are being sold off to the highest bidder'.

Gerard claims Siobhan had started to draw up a will shortly before she died, intending to leave the items to her nieces and nephews, but it was never registered. He added that if she had lived a few weeks longer, the items would not have passed to Belcher as he would not have been considered her next of kin. Both Sworders, the auction house, and Belcher have declined to comment. There is no suggestion that Belcher lacks the legal right to sell the items.

How it is being reported

• George Michael’s guitar at centre of family row as it goes to auctionThe guitar is one of several items being sold from the collection of his former personal assistant, Siobhan Bailey, who died in 2014.Evening Standard · 29 Oct, 11:03
• George Michael's Faith guitar is set to sell for £120,000 after his personal assistant's estranged husband put it up for auction after her deathThe singer-songwriter donated the guitar to his personal assistant, Siobhan Bailey, and it is now being sold by her estranged husband, Ian Belcher, after her death.Daily Mail · 29 Oct, 09:22
• Family row over George Michael items up for auction - including Faith guitarThe brother of the singer's late personal assistant says she would not have wanted the items to be sold.BBC News · 29 Oct, 00:01

In this story: George Michael · Siobhan Bailey · Ian Belcher · Gerard Bailey · Sworders · Wham!

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log