BREAKING NEWS: Dead Or Alive singer and Celebrity Big Brother star Pete Burns dies unexpectedly of a cardiac arrest aged 57
- Dead or Alive founder died after a 'massive cardiac arrest', manager said
- Born in Wirral, Merseyside, he had a huge hit with You Spin Me Round
- Later in life he underwent several plastic surgery operations
- He previously said 'I hope when I'm 80 God doesn't recognise me'
- Band was due to release special album in just four days time
Singer Pete Burns has died aged 57, his manager has confirmed.
In a statement on Twitter, his manager said: 'It is with the greatest sadness that we have to break the tragic news that our beloved Pete Burns of (Dead Or Alive) died suddenly yesterday of a massive cardiac arrest.'
Burns, from Wirral, Merseyside, founded band Dead or Alive in 1980 but went on to feature in several reality television shows in later life.
His death comes just days before his band's compilation album Sophisticated Boom Box MMXVI was due to be released on October 28.
Singer Pete Burns, pictured, 57, has died after a 'massive cardiac arrest'
A statement was released on his official Twitter account by his manager reporting his death
In the statement, his manager added: 'All of his family and friends are devastated by the loss of our special star.
'He was a true visionary, a beautiful talented soul, and he will be missed by all who loved and appreciated everything he was and all of the wonderful memories that he has left us with.
'We have no more words, we will make a further statement when we have had a chance to come to terms with our devastating loss.
'He will live forever in our memories.'
Burns, pictured with Dead Or Alive in 1985, had a huge hit with You Spin Me Round
The star underwent an image change after plastic surgery, left and right, and admitted earlier this year he had endured 'more than 300 surgeries'
He appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, pictured, where he gained more fame for his 'scathing' verbal attacks on housemates
Earlier this year Burns admitted he has endured more 300 procedures to fix botched surgery on his face, which left him depressed and fighting for his life.
The star - who likened himself to Frankenstein's monster - vowed to never stop going under the knife in the pursuit for physical perfection.
He declared: 'The number of surgeries I’ve has is probably 300. I hope when I’m 80 and I get to heaven God doesn’t recognise me.'
Burns said his obsession with changing his face started more than two decades ago at the time of his chart success with You Spin Me Round.
'I realised I was going to be a visual entity and that I had to look good', he said.
'I had a broken nose. In the punk days somebody head butted me in Liverpool and it went over to one side.'
The star splashed out £750 to go under the knife in the quest for the perfect nose, but knew when he woke up 'covered in blood' that things had gone wrong.
Pictured earlier this year, Burns said he would 'never stop going under the knife' in the pursuit of physical perfection
His present day appearance was a far cry from his eyepatch-wearing rock star look in the 1980s, pictured
Burns (pictured) underwent 'dozens' of corrective treatments after lip augmentation went badly wrong and a 'botched' nose operation
The reconstructive surgery that followed was the first of dozens of corrective treatments, including four nose jobs, two sets of cheekbone implants and lip plumping.
But his lip augmentation also went badly wrong - and the filler injected into his pout began spreading all over his face.
He said: 'I started to develop holes in my skin and if I so much as touched my face there would be an audible hissing and out onto the mirror would vomit this yellow fluid.'
After suing the surgeon and receiving £450k in compensation, Burns underwent around 200 surgeries over the space of two years to fix the problem.
He said: 'I’ve had a major operation a week for two years to remove it from my cheeks where it had migrated, my Adam’s apple, the back of my eyes.
'They couldn’t do anything about the liver and the kidneys. I had to excrete that out.'
The large amount of medication he was taking had a massive effect on his health, and he ended up being rushed to hospital.
He said: 'I developed blood clots and pulmonary embolisms in my legs, heart and lungs.'
Burns became well known for his appearances on reality television in later life, including this appearance on Channel 5's Celebrity Wedding Planner with John McCririck (left)
He was married to hairdresser Lynne Corlett from 1978 to 2006, when he divorced her and entered into a civil partnership with boyfriend Michael Simpson, left with Burns
Many fans took to social media (pictured) to talk of their sadness at Pete Burns' death
The singer was described as 'provocative, quirky and one-of-a-kind' by one user (pictured)
Broadcaster Jamie East said Burns was a 'true pop icon' who was 'fun to work and hang out with' (pictured)
Many fans, followers and friends took to Twitter to post tributes to Burns.
Editor of the Gay Times magazine Darren Scott tweeted a picture of the celebrity hugging him.
He wrote: 'Very sad to hear the news that Pete Burns has passed away. He was always a gent and hilarious to speak with. A legend.'
Stylist Cesare Polini did the same and said: 'RIP to a legend. Love to Lynn, Michael. You were an absolute joy to be around. Clever and fast like no other#PeteBurns'
Virgin radio presenter Jamie East tweeted:'So desperately sad to hear about Pete Burns. A true pop icon and a really, really fun fella to work and hang out with. Sleep well buddy'
Pop critic Simon Price wrote: 'So sad to hear of the death of Dead Or Alive's Pete Burns. One of the last great 80s freaks to make it big before pop got boring again. RIP.'
Burns, pictured, underwent around 200 surgeries over the space of two years to fix lip augmentation surgery
The singer, left and right, said medication he took around his surgeries led him to develop blood clots and pulmonary embolisms in his legs, heart and lungs
Broadcaster and writer Roo Green said: 'Remember when pop stars weren't media trained to within an inch of their life? Pete Burns was a provocative, quirky, glorious one-of-a-kind'
And fan Emily Estelle added: 'So sad to hear about Pete Burns. This year really is taking away legends RIP Pete Burns.'
Samuel Preston, the Ordinary Boys frontman who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother alongside the singer in 2006, tweeted: 'Heartbroken to hear about Pete Burns. He was a true punk rocker and one of the kindest hearts I've ever know. Gutted.'
According to an interview with the Guardian in 2003, Burns dropped out of his all-boys school in Liverpool aged 14 after he was summoned to the headmaster's office 'with no eyebrows, Harmony-red hair and one gigantic earring'.
He later started working at record shop Probe Records, before playing in bands.
One such group was Nightmares in Wax, formed in Liverpool in 1979, which changed to Dead Or Alive a year later after several members were replaced.
They had a brief spell of success in the mid 1980s, beginning with a cover version of KC and the Sunshine Band's That's the Way (I Like It).
A year later they released worldwide hit You Spin Me Round, even making the top 20 in the US.
The band's popularity soon waned, although they released seven albums between 1984 and 2000.
Burns returned to mainstream fame in 2006 thanks to his appearance on Big Brother, pictured
Burns, right, was on the show alongside other stars including flamboyant former basketball star Dennis Rodman, left, and glamour model Jodie Marsh
Sporting flowing golden locks, Burns, pictured, finished fifth on the celebrity show
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