George Michael abandons his bid to be released from prison

A BAIL application on behalf of pop star George Michael has been cancelled, it was confirmed last night.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the singer were due to apply for bail before a judge at Blackfriars Crown Court yesterday. But a court spokeswoman said: "The bail application has been abandoned."

The 47-year-old, whose real name is Georgios Panayiotou, was jailed on Tuesday for eight weeks after crashing his Range Rover while high on cannabis.

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He was found slumped at the wheel of the car after it smashed into a photography shop in north London in July.

Michael, who has a previous conviction for the same offence, was told by District Judge John Perkins there was no option but jail.

The former Wham! star admitted driving while unfit through drugs and possessing two cannabis cigarettes when he appeared at London's Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court last month.

Yesterday, details of his experiences in jail emerged, as it was revealed that he is not having to share his prison cell with any other prisoners. It has also been reported that Michael has been offered, but refused, a drug rehabilitation course.

It also emerged last night that the singer launched a desperate last-ditch bid to dodge prison just 30 minutes after he was jailed on Tuesday.

His lawyer argued he should be released on the spot because the jail term was "manifestly excessive". But Judge Perkins dismissed the case, saying he was not prepared to grant emergency bail.