George Michael thrilled about same-sex marriages

George Michael has launched the US leg of his final world tour by congratulating lawmakers for legalising gay marriage in California.

The openly gay British pop star performed in San Diego, California on Tuesday - the same day gay unions were made official after state legislators overturned a ban last month.

And Michael, who was once arrested for lewd behaviour in a Beverly Hills park public toilet, admits he's thrilled California's gays and lesbians can now legally wed.

He says: "It's way overdue. It's something that happened... almost without a whisper in England.

"Because this is a much more religious society, there are a huge number of people who want unions to be part of something that they can place in their religion."

Hundreds of gay couples across California became husband and husband and wife and wife on Tuesday, when same-sex unions became legal.

California is only the second state in the U.S., after Massachusetts, to legalise gay marriage.