United Kingdom, July 27 -- Andrew Ridgeley has claimed George Michael battled with an "eternal conflict" because he didn't want to "be a star".

The 63-year-old singer has reflected on his late Wham! bandmate's complicated relationship with fame and the way he constructed a pop star "character" in order to be himself in private.

Speaking about George, whose real name was Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou. Andrew told Fox News Digital: "He didn't want to be a star . in the sense of constantly projecting himself.

"George Michael was a character that he created in order for him to fulfill his artistic destiny as a songwriter and a singer and a musician.

"But he wanted to live his life as Yog, you know, rather than as George Michael. There was ...