David Furnish: Friends 'worried' about George Michael

The pair sang a chart-topping duet in 1991

Sir Elton John has been contacted by friends of singer George Michael "worried" about his frame of mind, David Furnish has told the BBC.

"They keep calling us and saying 'you have to do something, George is in a bad way'", Furnish, Sir Elton's civil partner, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"If he doesn't want help or... doesn't think he needs help, that's fine."

On Saturday, Michael told Saturday's Guardian newspaper: "Elton needs to get on with his own life".

Michael has admitted a past addiction to prescription drugs and said he is still a regular cannabis user.

He claimed to smoke 25 cannabis cigarettes a day though he said in his recent interview that he has cut his usage to "about seven or eight a day now".

'Very concerned'

But, speaking on 5 live's Victoria Derbyshire programme, Furnish said: "We're only reacting to what his close friends are saying to us.

"A lot of people are saying it to us, we get it very regularly.

"They're saying they're concerned about his health, concerned about his state of mind and his well-being and because Elton has been there and experienced sobriety now for 19 years, that perhaps he's in the best position to help him."

However, Michael told the Guardian: "Elton... will not be happy until I bang on his door in the middle of the night saying, 'Please, please, help me, Elton. Take me to rehab'. It's not going to happen."

In June 2007, the singer was banned for two years after pleading guilty to driving while unfit through drugs.

He was also twice cautioned for possessing cannabis after being found asleep at the wheel of his car on two separate occasions in 2006.

Furnish said he and Sir Elton are called by George's friends "regularly"

Film producer Furnish said: "George has to want help himself and if he wants help, then we're here for him.

"If he doesn't want help, that's his choice too or if he doesn't think he needs help then that's also fine."

George Michael's spokesperson could not be reached for comment.