Pete Burns, the iconic frontman of Dead or Alive, died penniless and had to borrow money from friends, including former MP George Galloway, according to the politician. Burns passed away from a heart attack in October 2016 at the age of 57.
Galloway, who met Burns on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, told the Daily Star: "Pete was really hard up, I myself had to help him out of a jam or two." He attributed Burns' financial troubles to a costly legal battle after a botched lip surgery in Italy, which left the singer bankrupt.
Burns had undergone more than 300 cosmetic procedures over two decades, many to correct earlier failed surgeries. In a TV programme aired shortly before his death, he revealed that an infection from filler had spread, leading to holes in his skin and potential lip amputation. He won £450,000 in an out-of-court settlement but spent most of it on legal fees and further surgeries.
His manager announced his death on social media, stating: "It is with the greatest sadness that we have to break the tragic news that our beloved Pete Burns died suddenly yesterday of a massive cardiac arrest."
