Michael refuses to compete with rivals

Legendary singer George Michael refuses to compete with modern chart contemporaries, because the challenge offers him "no excitement".

The 41-year-old Faith star is deeply disillusioned with the music industry's political apathy and considers the pop music genre "dead".

He says of competing with the likes of Robbie Williams: "There's no excitement in that. Nobody wants to hear about politics, or any kind of strong ideas in pop any more."

Michael is currently attending the screening of George Michael: A Different Story - a documentary about his life at this month's Berlin Film Festival.

Of the candid film about him, he adds: "This is probably the most you've ever going to see of me. I think the future is a more behind-the-scenes affair."