Remembering the Time George Michael Was Arrested for Cruising in 1998

In April of 1998, British popstar George Michael was infamously arrested by an undercover officer after cruising for sex in a Beverly Hills park.

With the release of the new George Michael: Outed documentary, the singer’s ex, Kenny Goss, reflected on the “faithful day” of that arrest, noting that he just wanted to make sure Michael was doing okay.

During an interview, Goss told Radio Times that cruising for sex was never an issue for his relationship with Michael. Goss also discussed the media coverage surrounding Michael’s arrest, which led to his outing:

“[Michael] was stressed out. He took to his bed. Then, the next morning, we got up, and I told him, ‘Yep, still a few helicopters up there.’”

At the time, Michael was fined £500 and was required to go through 80 hours of community service for “engaging in a lewd act.”

Michael and Goss dated from 1996 to 2009. Unfortunately, Goss remembers Michael being a “tortured soul” in his later years. “I was always worried about what might happen, that he might get into trouble again,” Goss revealed.

The British singer passed away in 2016 at 53 years of age. As of 2023, there is chatter that a George Michael biopic is in the works.

George Michael: Outed is scheduled to air March 6 and 7 on Channel 4 in the UK.